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CDPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



STEPPING-STONES 
TO SUCCESS 



STEPPING-STONES 

TO 

SUCCESS 



BY 

HORACE D. HITCHCOCK. 

Author of "The Culture of Self" "Your Will 

Power," "The Power of Achievement" etc. 

Editor The Cosmos Magazine. 



BALTIMORE 

THE McLEAN COMPANY 

1916 






Copyright, 1916 

by 

Horace D. Hitchcock 



DEC 29 1916 

©CU446973 



TO 

Helen Hastings, 

an unwavering friend, 

this book 

IS 
DEDICATED. 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER. 


PAGE. 


I. 


Opportunity .... 


. . 13 


II. 


Ambition 


. . 31 


III. 


Power of" Will 


. . 53 


IV. 


Concentration 


. . 71 


V. 


Power of Imagination . 


. . 81 


VI. 


Original Creation . 


. . 99 


VII. 


Personal Magnetism 


. 117 


VIII. 


Self-Education 


. . 137 


IX. 


Enemies of Success . 


. 151 


X. 


Mind and Sense Culture 


. 177 


XI. 


Human Efficiency . 


. 207 


XII. 


Power and Plenty . 


. 225 



PREFACE 

All human endeavor, from childhood and 
youth through to the sunset of age, sees ever 
before it that enchanting reward of achieve- 
ment — Success. 

No matter what the purpose, the goal is to 
succeed. It may be to succeed in one great 
undertaking or to succeed in the smaller affairs 
as they present themselves during a life time. 

Each one of us has, in some degree, that in- 
herent force which compels the striving, fight- 
ing, yearning and dreaming for success. 

This book has been written and comes to 
you in the hope that the principles herein de- 
scribed will prove of permanent value to you 
in your life work. It seeks to point out to you 
in the plainest style and manner the funda- 
mentals through which all success is possible. 
It has been written for the average intelligent 
reader, and it is not a deep scientific promulga- 
tion of psychological principles, which could 
be of value only to students in psychology or 
those who desired deep study in philosophical 
expositions. 

On the other hand, this book has been writ- 



10 PREFACE. 

ten plainly, to the point and in a manner which 
will lend itself to convenient reference at any 
time. All unnecessary and superfluous matter 
has been eliminated in order that the work 
might be practical and non-scientific, and not 
over-burdened with dry theoretical material. 

This book is not magical, and it has no bear- 
ing on matters occult or mysterious. It merely 
puts forth the great principles, sometimes 
termed "secrets," of success. 

By countless experiments, by consulting the 
pages of biography, and by a careful analysis 
of the personal correspondence of hundreds 
of successful men and women, it has been 
proven that accomplishment in any line, or suc- 
cess in anything, is the positive result of cer- 
tain primary causes. Certain human forces 
produce success in somewhat the same manner 
as certain combinations of matter in nature 
produce definite results, according to the law 
of cause and effect. 

It is hoped this book will, firstly produce 
inspiration and that it will next produce con- 
fidence in self. It is hoped that it will prove 
a life-long counsellor, a companion of achieve- 
ment. 

It cannot bring one success or wealth or 
great happiness by a single hurried reading. 



PREFACE. 11 

It is not superhuman. The maximum results 
can be derived from it only by persistent ap- 
plication to the principles laid down. It will 
then develop those vital forces within you to 
which the average person pays little attention ; 
it will inspire you to greater efforts and it will 
create in you a greater efficiency. 

And so. may the best in life come to you 
through the assimilation of these pages. 

The Author. 



OPPORTUNITY 



Success is mainly the result of the ability to grasp 
an opportunity. 



The world owes you a living — but there is more 
perspiration than inspiration in collecting it. 



Opportunity often goes by unnoticed while men 
are bowing to Fate. 



m 



CHAPTER I 

OPPORTUNITY 

HE world today is full of oppor- 
tunities. In business, in art, in 
literature, in every field of en- 
deavor the call of opportunity is 
greater than ever before. 
To the ambitious the world presents a rich 
hunting ground, a wide expanse for fruitful 
endeavor. To those who lack knowledge and 
courage it seems as a great city, walled in by 
those more fortunate who have gained en- 
trance to its rewards through fame, fortune 
or influence. 

The old adage that opportunity knocks once 
on every man's door, is, perhaps, so old that 
it is now out of date. The saying was un- 
doubtedly intended to exemplify the fact that 
opportunity actually comes to one less often 
than it is sought. 

The fields of endeavor are full of oppor- 
tunities today, but they are ever playing "hide- 
and-seek" with the ambitious. "Go, young 
man or young woman, and find opportunity." 



16 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

The specific relation of opportunity to suc- 
cess is apparent. 

The first step toward any success is the 
grasping of an opportunity. 

In speaking of opportunity Gladstone said 
truly : 

"In some sense and in some effectual degree 
there is in every man (and woman) the 
material of good work in the world." 

In every one of us there is the God-given 
germ which may be termed our "capacity for 
usefulness." In every one of us this quality 
is capable of being developed, through proper 
exercise and nourishment. This distinctly 
human quality is that attribute of mind which 
enables one to seek opportunity as a direct 
means of exerting a definite usefulness to his 
fellow-beings. 

The first requisite to success is the ability to 
accede that opportunity is a circumstance with- 
in the reach of everyone. 

Opportunity, then, is a signal sign to suc- 
cess. If the ability to reach opportunity is 
inherent in every one of us, it follows that 
success itself, which is born of opportunity, is 
possible to every human being. 

How often we have heard the expression, 
"Luck seems to follow him wherever he goes." 



OPPORTUNITY. 17 

But it was not luck. In fact luck or chance is 
a very small factor to any success. 

When we study the biography of successful 
men and women we find in every instance, dis- 
counting some rare exceptions, that certain 
fundamental principles of success have been 
strictly followed. These principles may have 
been followed consciously or unconsciously. 
But the goal of success has always been and 
always will be attained by adherence to definite 
laws governing the power of mind over matter ; 
and when these laws are studied, assimilated 
and put into practice the resulting achievement 
will be Success — a complete accomplishment 
of a definite aim. 

Not long ago a young man came to me and 
complained that he had not achieved a satis- 
factory success in life because he "had not been 
given the proper opportunities." Further on 
in his conversation he remarked that "the 
world owed him a living" and he did not un- 
derstand how less capable men than he were 
making more money, more of a reputation 
and were actually happier in their everyday 
work. He had studied hard and was ambitious 
and industrious, yet he was slipping along and 
success was ever elusive — just out of his reach. 

Such an example will fit the present condi- 

(2) 



18 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

tion of thousands and thousands of men and 
women, in all walks of life, who are normal, 
ambitious and intelligent; who are following 
a thousand different occupations to which they 
may or may not be adapted; who are earnest 
in their desire to succeed, and who aim to 
accomplish a success in each of their respec- 
tive occupations, as a final attainment of that 
condition in human life which brings good 
fortune, contentment and happiness. Yet these 
thousands are going on in pace with time, only 
to find that each morning the desired goal of 
success is as far distant as it was yesterday. 
Some will achieve a mediocre success; others 
will fall back under the weight of discourage- 
ment. 

But to anyone who says "I haven't been 
given an opportunity," let it be said that no 
truth could be more plainly spoken. You have 
not been given an opportunity? Of course 
not ! Real opportunity is not given away. 

That which you get for nothing is worth no 
more than the price you pay. 

Opportunity must be sought. It is truly in 
reach of all, but it must be properly courted. 

The rough diamond is imbedded deep down 
in the bowels of the earth. It is there, and by 
the hand of man is brought to light, where it 



OPPORTUNITY. 19 

is cut, ground and polished into the most beau- 
tiful of jewels. 

All things worth while must be sought for, 
and when found in the rough they need the 
intelligence of man to make them valuable or 
useful. 

The world owes no one a living — unless he 
or she works for it. And to reap the most in 
life one must give to his fellows a service which 
is worth while — a service which is helpful, 
noble and honorable. 

Every one can do that, in a small degree at 
first, and by well directed effort the final results 
will seem marvelous. 

Opportunity can be recognized easily by 
some, but to many it passes by unnoticed. 

Individual opportunity is your opportunity. 
The opportunity that would fit your conditions, 
abilities, ambitions, would not be suited to 
another. 

What might be a "golden opportunity" for 
one, might be the stepping-stone to a dismal 
failure for another. 

Many failures are due to misfit occupations, 
because of a first mistake in judging oppor- 
tunity. 

A man may earn his living in a misfit occu- 
pation, but he works mechanically and without 



20 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

heart interest. His work is monotonous. Time 
drags and pay days are the only interesting 
breaks in the sameness. He is obliged to sup- 
port himself, and perhaps a family, so he sticks 
to it and calls himself a "victim of circum- 
stances. " 

Everyone eventually has some definite am- 
bition. It is a normal human passion. If you 
have no aim in life, no purpose only to exist 
from day to day, you are either mentally or 
physically unbalanced. 

The difference between you and the Hobo is 
a matter of ambition. His occupation fits him ; 
he accomplishes his ambition in exactly the 
same fashion as the ambitious youth who works 
as a clerk in a railroad office and who later 
achieves his ambition when he becomes presi- 
dent of the organization. 

Every man is an enigma to every other man. 

He is a messenger from his Creator carrying 
instructions to follow, which he cannot himself 
fully understand. 

The human mind is the greatest force in the 
world of achievement. Human brains have 
accomplished wonders, and they will continue 
to accomplish great things as time flows on. 

Every mind is individual, yet every normal 
mind is endowed with that God-given germ 



OPPORTUNITY. 21 

which may be coaxed to grow into a mighty 
power in each of "us — the pozver to do some- 
thing and do that something so that the result 
can be called success. 

One of the greatest mistakes made by many 
a youth is the formation of the idea that oppor- 
tunity is waiting for him somewhere and all 
that is necessary is to take a hunting trip, bag 
the game, take it home, tame it and live ever 
after in luxurious ease on the fruits of success. 

Opportunity is in itself static and requires 
that you mold yourself into its grooves. 

Ambition and opportunity properly mated 
will produce success as surely as certain com- 
binations of matter will unite and produce defi- 
nite, invariable compounds. 

The first step to success is to find the right 
opportunity; the next step is to make yourself 
adaptable to that opportunity through intelli- 
gent application of the fundamental laws gov- 
erning mind over matter. 

To succeed, you must fit yourself to do some 
one thing well. What the world wants of you 
is your service. To serve, you must know how. 
Knowledge is power, but success is not attained 
through knowledge alone. The application of 
knowledge whereby a definite service will be 



22 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

performed, constitutes a personal achievement 
limited in degree only by individual endeavor* 

The degree of your success will be in direct 
ratio to the amount of your service to your fel- 
lows. 

A giant cannot test his strength until he 
has an opportunity to lift a great weight. You 
cannot make the greatest success in life until 
you have found the right opportunity and have 
fitted yourself well for that particular oppor- 
tunity. 

Theodore Roosevelt is a marvel of intel- 
lectual power and attainment. Early in life 
he found his opportunity in the field of litera- 
ture and political science. He followed strict- 
ly the laws governing success, for every ac- 
complishment is the result of adherence to 
certain laws inherent only in the human being 
— the laws governing the power of individual 
mind. 

Hundreds of men have found opportunity 
in political science, and there have been hun- 
dreds of men who have made monumental suc- 
cesses in this one field of service, but each suc- 
cess has been different, because each man's 
mind is different from all other minds. 

There are no two people exactly alike, either 
physically or mentally. But despite this enor- 



OPPORTUNITY. 23 

mous variation, there are traits common to 
all and these are the functions of the mind and 
body. 

The variety of human minds is the greatest 
thing in existence that makes for each of us a 
special opportunity. If each mind were ex- 
actly the same there would be but one oppor- 
tunity. 

Like produces like. But as your mind is 
different from any other mind in the world, 
your accomplishments, your success in life 
must be different from all others. As your 
mind is, so are you. "As a man thinketh, so 
is he." 

The great principle is this : As your mind 
is individual, so is your opportunity individual, 
and as your service to mankind will be the 
fruitage of your opportunity, so will your suc- 
cess be individual. 

Have you ever stopped to think what the 
conditions would be if Nature's creations, in- 
cluding man, were not one endless production 
of variety? What would happen if every 
young man in America should decide to be a 
farmer? What would happen if every young 
woman in America should decide not to marry, 
but to remain a spinster throughout her life- 
time? 



24 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

But the world is so adjusted that every nor- 
mal man and woman has his or her opportunity 
to live, enjoy life and give back the best that 
is within to others. 

Real life is from within. 

The success of any man is reflected on others 
by the mirror of his own individual soul. 

Your opportunity in life may be defined as 
that field of service for which you are natural- 
ly best suited. 

Your aim in life comes through the sub- 
conscious feeling that you are suited to a par- 
ticular work, and you are ambitious to find an 
opportunity to use your faculties and talents to 
the best advantage. 

The adaptation of a mind to any particular 
occupation is determined by a multitude of 
factors, which would take a volume in itself 
to explain. The formation of mind very often 
begins before birth and continues through 
early childhood. Inherited traits play an im- 
portant part. Special education in childhood 
sometimes develops a particular mental char- 
acteristic ; environment and early circumstances 
have their lasting effects. 

But all through early life, during the rest- 
less period of intellectual and physical growth, 
there remains in each of us that characteristic 



OPPORTUNITY. 25 

which may be termed our "capacity for use- 
fulness." This may manifest itself at this 
time by gradual growth, or it may lie dormant 
until brought into activity in early maturity. 

As this book is intended only for those who 
have launched themselves upon life's great 
ocean of activity, or are about to do so, the 
author will omit all discussion pertaining to 
the child mind. Such matter might be classed 
as the power of the parental mind over the 
child mind. 

Your feeling for "the capacity for useful- 
ness" may or may not have exhibited itself. 

It is that feeling of ambition which comes 
to everyone at some time. It often comes with 
a rush and fury and you find yourself saying, 
with the greatest amount of seriousness and 
determination : 

"I can do that and I'm going to do it I" 

Whatever your preparation in life has been ; 
whatever your talents are ; whatever your cir- 
cumstances have been, this will some day meet 
you face to face. 

When you look out upon the world and you 
touch upon a field of endeavor that makes you 
enthusiastic, optimistic, inspired, and that in- 
ner feeling fairly yells in your inner ears, "I 



26 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

can do it, and I'm going to do it!" you are vir- 
tually face to face with your opportunity. 

Once within your grasp you will have taken 
the first step to success. You will have the 
diamond in the rough. 

Whatever you seek you can find somewhere, 
in some degree, if you have the qualities of 
fitness, ambition and determination. 

If you desire money, you can get it ; and the 
amount you will get will depend on the manner 
in which you follow the laws governing suc- 
cessful money making. 

If you desire reputation, you can obtain that 
and the degree of reputation to which you at- 
tain, will depend on the manner in which you 
follow the laws governing personal achieve- 
ment. 

The amount of fame that you will receive 
will depend on the number of people you serve 
through your life work • the amount of money 
you can make will depend on the number of 
people you can serve by your service to hu- 
manity. No one can become famous whose 
life work reaches but two or three people; 
neither can one become a millionaire by serv- 
ing a half dozen of his fellows. 

If every normal man and woman in America 
should today and henceforth for a few years, 



OPPORTUNITY. 27 

put into earnest practice the principles gov- 
erning personal success, there would be fewer 
millionaires, less poverty and less unhappiness. 
If there were a less number of rivers flowing 
into the Mississippi River there would be a 
smaller Mississippi River. 

What you are losing in money, fame and 
happiness, or the additional amount of each 
that you should get with the proper effort, is 
going to others, who are putting into their 
everyday lives the indisputable and positive 
principles that govern each and every personal 
success. Those who are succeeding are fol- 
lowing these principles, either consciously or 
unconsciously. 

The bird that flies in the air follows the 
rules of aviation strictly by its instincts. Every 
man and woman is born with instinct, often 
termed animal instinct; but there is also a 
higher faculty, that of reason, whereby we are 
able to determine cause and effect. 

Certain elements in nature can combine and 
produce a certain effect. That effect never 
varies. It is an absolute law. 

Personal success in life is caused by the com- 
bination of opportunity with individual ability. 
While opportunity is essentially the same, in- 
dividual ability, being different, will produce 



28 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

an effect that is always different, even though 
slightly. 

If we have opportunity as the starting point 
to any success, it must be remembered that 
this is but the first step. Many men and 
women today have not even found their oppor- 
tunity. "Oh, if I only had an opportunity!" 
is the cry from thousands. 

If opportunity does not come to you, seek it. 
The spirit of "Seek and ye shall find," backed 
by the determination to find the object of your 
seeking, will bring your opportunity as sure 
as the sun rises. 

First, resolve that you are as good as any 
of your fellows. 

Second, resolve that you have been placed in 
this world to enjoy it and to be given an op- 
portunity to serve it in return for a fair share 
of health, wealth and happiness. 

Third, resolve to find an opportunity to fit 
your abilities and ambitions. 

Fourth, resolve to improve that opportunity 
by the cultivation of mind power. (As sug- 
gested by remaining chapters of this book.) 

Fifth, resolve to say when you meet oppor- 
tunity, "I can do that and I'm going to do it!" 

Sixth, remember, and bear firmly in mind, 
that: 



OPPORTUNITY. 29 

The first requisite to success is the ability to 
accede that opportunity is a circumstance with- 
in the reach of everyone. 

You can achieve through the power to do 
something and do that something so that the 
result can be called success. 

As your mind is individual, so is your op- 
portunity individual, and as your service to 
mankind will be the fruitage of your oppor- 
tunity, so will your success be individual. 



AMBITION 



The game of life cannot be learned by glancing 
over the players' shoulders. 



Those who never try to make anything out of 
themselves generally succeed in the undertaking. 



Luck is the fool's excuse. 



CHAPTER II 



AMBITION 




MBITION is like a turbulent river 
rushing on with great fury; dis- 
cretion builds solid levees to keep 
it in its course. 

There can be no accomplish- 
ment in life without ambition; it's the great 
and all-powerful incentive to dare and do. 

Ambition is the dynamo of human energy ; it 
comes from within and is confined to the soul's 
own limitations. 

You have ambition and so has everyone— in 
some degree. It is that something deep down 
in your own nature that says : "Go, you, and 
do it." 

Ambition and determination are playmates. 
Success itself comes surely and quickly to 
those who have ambition backed by an un- 
wavering determination. 

Your aim in life is to accomplish something, 
and that something must be the combination 
of your opportunity and ambition. Your aim 

(3) 



34 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

is to do something well ; and to do it well you 
must have force behind every stroke. 

If you put a stone into the ground it will 
obey the law of gravitation and remain there 
forever. When you bury an acorn it will ac- 
cede to a higher law and will grow up by a 
vital force enclosed in its tiny walls. Man, 
himself, cannot understand the force that per- 
mits a tiny acorn to grow up into the mighty 
oak. 

Nature has whispered into the ears of all 
in life : "Grow up !" 

Your ambition germ is securely planted 
within you and its development can be pro- 
moted through a combination of physical and 
mental qualities ; the physical to produce energy 
that is physical, and the mental to guide all 
in the proper channels. 

There are really more failures in life due to 
lack of ambition than to lack of opportunity. 

The motto of achievement is : "Be Ambi- 
tious." 

Wishes and day dreams are the forerunners 
of ambition, but wishes and dreams alone' are 
but prophecies of reality. 

Thousands and thousands of men and 
women in the world today are the pitiable vic- 
tims of indecision — they have no definite aim — 



AMBITION. 35 

and what success they achieve is achieved by 
accident. 

Everywhere men and women are "held 
down" because they lack ambition. 

Many could achieve wealth by the cultivation 
of ambition; many could bring fame, happi- 
ness and contentment into their lives if they 
would stop, look and listen to the clanging of 
ambition's bell. 

Many fail because they strive for impossible 
goals. Many are deluded by ambitions beyond 
their power to attain, and aspirations that are 
totally disproportionate to their capacity for 
accomplishing. 

The passion of ambition is a normal and 
healthy one. There are the over-ambitious, 
and to these one success is but the stepping- 
stone to another. 

Over-ambition produces perpetual dissatis- 
faction. 

When you feel the cry within, "I can do that 
and I'm going to do it," it is time to know that 
ambition is awake. 

Whatever is your goal, whatever is your op- 
portunity, when the inner soul speaks — heed 
the call. Answer to yourself, "I will, I will, I 
will !" 

The law of compensation is one of the great- 



36 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

est of all laws. In the long run, when the 
worth of your service to humanity is totalled on 
life's balance sheet, you will have earned just 
about what you deserved. Whatever you give 
in service to your fellows will come back to 
you. If you give your best to the world, the 
best will come back to you. 

There is a great difference between what 
you desire and what you deserve, yet through 
ambition the visions of today can be made 
to be the accomplishments of tomorrow. 

Throughout the ages man has ever been pro- 
gressing. Up, up through the centuries prog- 
ress has marched steadily on under the sharp 
whip of man's own ambition. And the prog- 
ress of each century reverts back to the indi- 
vidual accomplishments of individual men and 
women. 

"It's the last straw that breaks the camel's 
back," but each straw helps. Your success may 
seem a long way off, but each step forward and 
none backward will help to bring you nearer. 

Your goal, whatever is your ambition, may 
seem as a giant mountain, to the top of which 
seems as an endless climb; but when it is 
reached how sweet is the rest and what a pleas- 
ure it is to look back over the long, winding 
road up the steep incline! 



AMBITION. 37 

The story is told of a boy, taken to school 
by his parent, who informed the schoolmaster 
that "of all stubborn boys I know, he is the 
worst." The lessons were assigned to him and 
he was seated at his desk. Later, as the teacher 
walked by, he laid his hand gently on the boy's 
shoulder in a kindly spirit, whereupon the little 
fellow trembled and shrunk away from his 
touch. "What is the matter?" asked the 
teacher. "I thought you were going to hit 
me," he replied. "Why should I hit you?" "Be- 
cause I am so bad," said the little fellow. "Who 
says you are bad?" "Father, mother and 
everybody, says so." "But you can be just as 
good as any other boy, if you try," said the 
teacher kindly. "Can I be a good boy?" asked 
the little fellow, looking up in surprise, "then I 
will be a good boy." From that time on his 
life changed. He made rapid progress and 
soon became liked by all. He later became 
governor of one of our largest states. 

The pages of history and biography are filled 
with the examples of ambition and determina- 
tion. 

Practically every one of us is possessed with 
greater powers of accomplishment than we 
ever attempt to exert. A famous psychologist 
has said that the ordinary person is only fifteen 



38 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

to twenty per cent, efficient, that we bring into 
use only a small part of our capabilities. 

Nothing strengthens us more than to early 
make a constant effort to live up to a certain 
fixed purpose. 

Our desires are the prophecies of our des- 
tinies. 

The law of averages discounts a percentage 
of our aspirations ; the ambitions of youth are 
never completely fulfilled in a lifetime. 

Hope, courage, determination — all these are 
the qualities that make opportunity blossom 
forth into a gorgeous success; the ultimate 
realization of constant effort. 

Ambition is a quality of mind. It is a force 
generated from within. 

Before you can consciously act, you must 
think. 

All accomplishments are preceded by a defi- 
nite plan to be treated as a cause to produce a 
desired effect. 

To accomplish your aim you must plan your 
actions carefully, follow them out methodically 
and know that they are suitable to your abili- 
ties. 

Steadfast application to a fixed purpose has 
made successful men and women in the past 



AMBITION. 39 

and will continue to make them in the future. 
It is a law inviolate. 

The laws relating to individual endeavor 
may be roughly outlined as follows : 

You, as man or woman, are different from 
any other man or woman in the whole world ; 
consequently your channel of thought creation, 
your personality, your individual success will 
be different from the success of anyone else. 
If you aspire to become a civil engineer or to 
become cultivated in art or music, your process 
of accomplishing your aim will be individual 
and different, and your success, no matter in 
what field of endeavor, will be different from 
any other success. 

In projecting your thought force for a given 
purpose, which is correlative to ambition, you 
unconsciously determine the future as the logi- 
cal sequence of the past. You may aim to be- 
come a civil engineer and in the formation 
of the thought as to how you will attain that 
ambition, you unconsciously (or consciously 
under cultivation) imagine the exact condi- 
tions of your ultimate success by a previous 
knowledge of the past, as relating to the careers 
of civil engineers. Therefore, ambition is a 
conscious or unconscious imitation, to be elabo- 
rated by the products of ultimate effects of 



40 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

individual desire. In other words, when you 
are ambitious to succeed in any given field of 
endeavor you have as a foundation work, or 
stepping stone, the success of some other indi- 
vidual in the same line of service. 

No one man invented the automobile of to- 
day. Thousands and thousands of minds have 
added to its mechanism since the advent of the 
first motor vehicle. The first civil engineers, 
so far as we know, were the cave-men who 
made the first crude efforts in construction. A 
thousand successes in any one field means a 
thousand different successes. 

While every ambition is an imitation it is 
impossible to imitate exactly. This is a phy- 
sical as well as a mental law. No two things 
in nature are exactly alike ; no two trees grow 
up alike; no two plants are exactly similar 
in size, color or shape. Man, with all his won- 
derful abilities, is unable to make any two 
objects exactly similar. The world is a world 
of variation and change. Each stone, plant, 
animal and human being is a unit in itself. 
But man, with his physical, mental and moral 
qualities is a world in himself, capable of 
mastering the things in nature in a manner that 
will bring him health, happiness and content- 
ment. 



AMBITION. 41 

Your life is divided, primarily, into conscious 
and unconscious acts and thoughts. Ambition 
is active and positive, not negative, therefore 
the cultivation of it will depend on the thought 
forces of imitation, determination, reason and 
patience. 

How can you cultivate your ambition? The 
same way you would cultivate a plant — by giv- 
ing it nourishment and forcing it to grow up 
as destined by its own nature. Having found 
opportunity, having fitted yourself into the 
proper niche, the proper line of endeavor 
whereby your natural talents and qualifications 
can be converted into your best service to your 
fellows; having said to yourself with all the 
God-given sincerity which you possess, "I can 
do that, and I'm going to do it" you are ready 
to cultivate, enlarge and perfect this oppor- 
tunity through your own ambition to do so. 

The methods through which such a cultiva- 
tion is possible, may be outlined as follows : 

1. By means of imitation. 

2. By means of intellectual culture. 

3. By means of determination. 

4. By means of patience. 

While other subsidiary internal factors and 
also indirect external factors enter into the cul- 



42 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

tivation of ambition, these four are the funda- 
mentals. 

The process of imitation is the first of the 
distinct mental qualities common to man and 
beast. It is the antecedent, in man, to the 
quality of reason. 

Imitation exhibits itself early in childhood; 
in the first sounds and signals which we learn 
to make and give as a means of transmitting 
our first thoughts to our parent. We learn first 
through imitation of sounds and motions ; later 
we learn to reason. 

The instinct to imitate develops from the 
natural law that like produces like; animals 
produce animals; friction produces heat; dis- 
ease produces disease. If we desire to learn a 
new language we imitate one who knows that 
language ; if we desire to row or swim we imi- 
tate one who knows how to row or swim. So 
in all that we learn we first imitate. 

A college education is fundamentally a 
course in imitation. 

Therefore, the first step in the accomplish- 
ment of ambition is to imitate those whom 
we know have succeeded. The cry of the 
world is "Be original," but all who are original 
have first had to imitate ; all who walk had first 
to crawl. 



AMBITION. 43 

If you would succeed in musical art, for 
instance, you must understand the rudiments 
of musical composition and the technique of 
its exposition through the medium of voice or 
instrument. You must first learn what others 
have done, and in so learning you begin build- 
ing the foundation work for your own success. 

Study carefully what others have done ; and 
in so doing always imagine yourself as substi- 
tuted for the successful person about whom 
you are studying. Learn the cause of suc- 
cess in others, then put it into practice in your 
own life through conscious imitation. 

Unconscious imitation is not so important a 
factor to achievement as conscious imitation, 
but it should not be neglected. 

This phase of mental force as a means con- 
ducive to the growth of ambition is exhibited 
in everyday life. Most people eat three meals 
a day at certain hours in the day ; each follows 
the other in unconscious imitation. Authorities 
on the subject tell us, though, that we could 
eat regularly two meals a day, or regularly 
four or five, without the slightest injury to 
health. When we are on a crowded street of 
hurrying people, we unconsciously quicken our 
steps in imitation of those about us. So it is 
that actual association with the successful or 



44 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

imitation of their methods will be a determin- 
ing factor in our own success. 

Put into practice the elements which con- 
stituted success in others and add to this as 
you progress, your own individual require- 
ments. Your individual make-up is composed 
of weak qualities and strong qualities. Each 
quality must be strengthened or balanced in 
such manner as to make your achievement the 
best that is within you. 

You have been born, you have lived and 
your ambition is to make good, not financially 
or socially, but with yourself, for it is you who 
have been made to carry out your own mis- 
sion; it is you only who can make your own 
destiny; it is for you, a deserving share in 
health, happiness and contentment. 

Your ambition is to gain all that is good, 
noble and beautiful and it is your ambition to 
gain all these truly possible things through a 
life work best suited to you. Happiness, con- 
tentment, prosperity — they all belong to you — 
they are yours if you but fit yourself for them 
— and go after them and get them. 

The matter of intellectual culture is import- 
ant. No man has ever made a worthy success 
who was not intellectual. But on the other 
hand, men of the greatest intellectual bril- 



AMBITION. 45 

liancy have been some of the most pitiable 
failures. 

The world looks up to the man who knows 
and by knowing, does things. The intellectual 
culture most conducive to success should be 
that culture of mind which will enable the 
individual to fit himself in the most practicable 
way for his life's achievement. The man who 
studies ten years for the ministry would be 
wasting valuable time and energy if his "nat- 
ural bent" were that of a merchant. Lincoln is 
only one example of a great man having a very 
limited education. 

Intellectual culture up to the point of useful- 
ness becomes a necessity; beyond that point 
it becomes a luxury. Your life work demands 
a certain amount of knowledge that is neces- 
sary before you can begin. Resolve to gain 
that knowledge in the shortest time consistent 
with thoroughness. Leave the "frills" and 
"fancies" until later when you have time to 
enjoy them to better advantage. The man who 
builds a beautiful home leaves the decorations 
until the last. 

Get a good solid education, if you can, then 
go ahead and make use of your specialty. Be- 
come a specialist . You can't hope to do every- 
thing. Your ambition will not permit you to 



46 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

do that. Besides, you will not be fitted to do 
everything. Your career may be likened to a 
railroad train leaving a great terminal station. 
When you start out you encounter hundreds of 
side tracks, switches, main lines, and, above 
all, signals, signals everywhere. You are des- 
tined to take some main line, some direct route, 
out of the mass of innumerable by-ways. 

In life you can gain the desired goal, your 
ultimate success quickest, by taking the direct 
route. Side-tracking causes only delays and 
lets the other fellow pass by you. It is the 
single aim that wins. 

Behind all these must be determination; 
that furious, everlasting pounding force that 
drives its way through any difficulty. Deter- 
mination! What a magic word! 

More has been gained in this world by the 
indomitable, whirlwind rush of determination 
than by all other forces combined. 

Ambition without determination is akin to 
mere desire; it is as a gold mine untouched 
for lack of initiative. 

"We go forth," said Emerson, "austere, 
dedicated, believing in the iron links of Des- 
tiny, and will not turn our heels to save our 
lives, but a book, or a trust, or only the sound 
of a name shoots a spark through the nerves, 



AMBITION. 47 

and we suddenly believe in will. I cannot even 
hear of a personal vigor of any kind, great 
power of performance, without fresh resolu- 
tion." 

"I can't get ahead because of circumstances," 
says the despondent youth. But he is merely 
hunting for an excuse for failure. Determina- 
tion will make circumstances! Plupk and 
grit are great forces • vital, inspiring and never 
failing. 

Resolve to dare, then do ! Say, "I'll do it !" 
with all the determination in your soul. De- 
termination has moved mountains; it has 
mated oceans and divided continents ; it stands 
supreme — the greatest of all personal forces. 

The secret of making money is mainly a 
matter of determination. And the same is 
true in practically every line of endeavor. No 
matter what your ambition, cultivate determi- 
nation ; don't let it lag ; urge it on and on and 
before long your accomplishments will astound 
you. 

Patience is a very commendable virtue; a 
veritable guiding star in the course of ambi- 
tion. Without patience ambition would wither 
up and die. Many people, in fact the majori- 
ty, are ambitious spasmodically, but lack 
patience to "stick it out." 



48 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

Be patient in all that you do and you will 
live a well balanced life. Don't expect things 
to "turn up;" get out and get them, but be 
patient. 

Patience is the safety-valve to your ambi- 
tion. 

Summary of the Qualities of Ambition : 

The context of the previous matter may be 
summed up, as observed, in the following: 

1. True ambition, in some degree, is in- 
herent in everyone. 

2. True ambition must be distinct and posi- 
tive. Your thoughts for future accomplish- 
ment should embrace what you want and why 
you want it. It should also embrace approxi- 
mately when you want it. 

3. True ambition must be definite. Guess 
work or uncertainty should not be allowed 
to enter the mind. Such ideas as "I guess 
that is what I'd better do" and "Is it best for 
me?" and "I wouldn't be quite certain of doing 
that," are negative. 

4. True ambition must not vary in pur- 
pose, or carry doubt. Such ideas as "If I 
can't do that, I'll try the next best thing" and 
"If I'm worthy I may do it" are in direct vio- 
lation of the fundamental principle of ambi- 



AMBITION. 49 

tion which exhibits itself in the positive ex- 
position : "I can do that and I'm going to do 

it" 

5. True ambition is not wishing. Everyone 
can wish a number of things at one time and 
the mind then becomes merely a storehouse of 
desires. Of course one may wish for many 
things and eventually get them, but the mere 
wishing will not produce any positive effect 
as it is fundamentally a negative thought 
force. 

6. True ambition must be reasonable and 
possible. It would be absurd to attempt to 
achieve the impossible and it is irrational to 
attempt to achieve more than one thing at a 
time. 

The true meaning of ambition might be for- 
mulated from the Founder of the Christian 
Religion : "Whatever things ye desire when 
ye pray, believe that ye shall receive them, 
and ye shall have them!' 

SUGGESTIONS FOR THE CULTIVATION OF 
AMBITION.* 

First — Put before you two sheets of blank 
paper. On one write out your educational 



* See Chapter X on the Importance of Drill. 

(4) 



50 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

qualifications briefly. On the other write out 
in full your immediate wishes, which would 
relate to your own self. After making these 
notations memorize both. Keep eliminating 
all impossible or improbable desires from the 
one list until you have narrowed them all into 
one immediate ambition. Be sure that this 
ambition does not overbalance your abilities. 
At first, if possible, select something in view 
that will require, in your estimation, about 30 
days to accomplish. Think clearly and slowly. 
Before arising in the morning, say to your- 
self, "I can do that, and I'm going to do it." 
Make a firm resolution to do it. 

Second — Write out each day the progress 
made in accomplishing your ambition. At 
the end of a week compare the notes and 
determine result. Practice imitation when pos- 
sible. Be accurate. At the end of each day 
say to yourself, "I am determined to do that ; 
I can do it and I'm going to do it." 

Third— Cultivate accuracy and patience in 
your everyday work. Don't let the mind 
wander. Keep thinking about some definite 
accomplishment in the future and make your 
daily work bring you nearer. Think, when- 
ever possible, "Other people are happy, have 



AMBITION. 51 

money, are enjoying life, why should not I? 
Why can't I have the things others have?" 

Fourth — Banish all disagreeable thoughts 
from your mind. Try your best to do this. 
Keep the mind fresh and receptive. Don't al- 
low yourself to believe that you are "unlucky." 
Don't allow the thought to enter that success 
is a kind of luck or chance. Resolve to suc- 
ceed in the opportunity you have found or 
chosen. Make the most of every working 
hour, but don't hurry. In your own mind 
fairly yell to yourself, "I can do it; and I will 
do it." 



POWER OF WILL 



The fellow who graduates from the University of 
Hard Knocks is prepared for most any kind of a job. 



A pessimist is a fellow who sits down and waits 
for old Hard Luck to catch up with him. 



Hard luck always follows the line of least resist- 
ance. 



CHAPTER III 

THE POWER OP WILL 

(Ffi^d^ffip HE existence of any human power 
7A r X % Nv ^phes duty to develop and make 

* A *L ^ le ^ est °^ tnat P ower - 

^P^ ^j The Science of Physiology ex- 

plains to us the composition of 
the brain as a physical part of the body proper. 
It tells us all about grey matter and brain cells. 

But the brain is merely a medium through 
which the will and mind perform their natural 
and acquired functions, just as the body itself 
is the abode of the inner spirit, or soul, or what 
is termed life. 

The cultivation of the mind begins shortly 
after birth, and, as explained previously, the 
first trait to exhibit itself in any marked de- 
gree, is the trait of imitation. Thus, the brain 
itself is capable of being fashioned just as 
any muscle in the body can be strengthened 
through proper nourishment and exercise. 

A young boy and girl may be left in a deep 
wilderness to live. With no human environ- 
ments, no means of gaining any human knowl- 



56 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

edge, they will follow their inherent animal 
instincts while the mind of each will remain 
dormant and uncultured. 

We learn from others, and in learning we 
have to imitate what our predecessors knew. 
Each generation shows a little advancement, 
a little gain in knowledge and progress over 
the preceding generation. 

The power of will is the greatest power in 
the world, which has to do with human ac- 
complishments. In fact, no man can determine 
the limits of any individual mind; neither can 
he foretell the limits of human endeavor. 

The accomplishments of today would ap- 
pear as positive impossibilities to those of 
ages ago. The greatest discount, perhaps, to 
individual human achievement, is the span of 
human life, which is limited. A safe maxim 
for the future might be: "There is nothing 
that is impossible." 

The power of will is a force distinctly 
human, and involves that which cannot be fully 
understood or explained. Like electricity, we 
know its cause and effects, but we do not know 
exactly what it is. 

Thought power deals with the brain in ac- 
tivity and is conscious power; in other words, 
"Will power." This power, which is within 



POWER OF WILL. 57 

each of us, is the power we have to direct 
ourselves either physically or mentally. 

A man's will is the maker of his own des- 
tiny. 

No matter what your religious belief, you 
put into effect, consciously or unconsciously, 
the principles of your will power every time 
you accomplish any definite act. Power of 
will is a distinctly mental quality and should 
not be confused with the spiritual or moral 
qualities. In fact you can will to do what 
your inner conscience tells you is not right. 
This one thing alone is evidence enough that 
it is independent of the moral. 

No normal man or woman lives who does 
not have some will power. The common 
phrase, "he has no will power/' is a contra- 
diction and an impossibility. 

"Nothing is impossible to the man who 
can will. Is that necessary? That shall be! 
This is the only law of success," says Mira- 
beau. 

The power of will, then, is that inner energy 
which directs all conscious acts of mind and 
body. 

The general functions of will power may 
be divided into two general classes : 

1. The power of will over the body. 



58 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

2. The power of will over mental and 
moral acts. 

Success itself depends more on mental and 
moral qualities than on the purely physical, 
yet a healthy body is always directly conducive 
to a well balanced mind, and forms a more 
adequate channel through which the functions 
of the will power may operate. History gives 
us many examples of men who have achieved 
great success, though they were physically in- 
ferior. Chopin, the famous Polish composer, 
was a victim of consumption. Milton wrote 
his best when incapacitated by blindness. 

On the other hand we see men and women 
every day who are well developed physically, 
but mentally inferior. 

The will has much to do with the improve- 
ment of bodily vigor and general health. This 
book has no connection directly with any 
"science of mental healing," "new thought" 
or other exposition of mental healing; the 
subject under discussion deals with the Will 
Power, with which power every normal man 
and woman is endowed, and which may be 
improved and cultivated through proper and 
systematic exercise, once its functions are un- 
derstood. 

Bodily health is directly influenced by 



POWER OF WILL. 59 

habits; and habits, either good or bad, are 
the result of will power. After a time a habit 
may become automatic. The musician's fin- 
gers are trained through persisent practice, 
backed by will power. When facility of 
motion is attained the finger action becomes 
automatic. The same is true of all muscular 
movements. 

The will power can improve bodily func- 
tions in an astonishing degree when properly 
directed. It has, practically, a direct connec- 
tion with all of the five senses — hearing, see- 
ing, feeling, smelling and tasting. (See chap- 
ter under "Mind and Sense Culture.") 

In the fight for success health is not to be 
slighted. If it is nothing more than an in- 
spiration it is worth as much attention as the 
mental. In fact a great many failures have 
been due to this one thing alone — lack of good 
health. Through improper training in youth 
or lack of understanding, many become dis- 
couraged and "give up" when "poor health" 
grips them. To all who have physical ail- 
ments let it be said that Will Power, when 
properly applied, will prove a wonderful help. 
It is a veritable "Self -Doctor" which nature 
herself has supplied. 

By proper application the eye may be made 



60 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

to see more accurately and to "sparkle" with 
increased brilliancy. 

The hearing may be greatly developed by 
proper mental stimulus, and the same is true 
of the taste and smell. While these may seem 
matters not warranting cultivation, they are, 
nevertheless, parts of the body that directly 
influence all other parts. Imagine any one 
of your five senses taken away. Would not 
the loss of any one seem a great loss to you? 

Many so-called "nervous diseases" may be 
improved and cured by will power. The mod- 
ern business and social world is full of "ner- 
vous wrecks/' and the pity of it all is, right 
within each one there is lying dormant the 
God-given power for betterment. 

Muscular movements, which in themselves 
are mainly automatic and subconscious, can 
be greatly improved by will power. 

An account is on record of a lady, frail in 
physique, who succeeded in moving two heavy 
trunks from a place of danger in her ward- 
robe when fire broke out in her home. It took 
three strong men to replace each of the trunks. 
Power of will enabled her to accomplish her 
purpose. 

"Genius is the capacity for taking infinite 
pains" is a worthy aphorism, and in taking 



POWER OF WILL. 61 

infinite pains every genius exerts great will 
power. 

Today, it is the little things that count. 
Little things carefully watched are the step- 
ping stones to the big things. 

The look of your eye, the manner in which 
you walk, the "look" on your face — all these 
are little things, but they are important things 
where success is concerned. All these things 
are considered when a young man or woman 
seeks a position to earn a livelihood. They 
are the outward signs of the inner character. 

One day a young man applied at a bank for 
a position advertised as vacant. For some 
reason he did not prove acceptable, so turned 
and started out. As he did so he stooped to 
pick up a very simple article from the floor — 
a plain, common pin — which he stuck in the 
lapel of his coat. At that instant he was re- 
called and the position was proffered him. 
"The fact that you are careful with the little 
things, young man, convinces me that you have 
the right qualifications for an acceptable bank 
employe," said his employer. 

And so it is in all things — attention to de- 
tails will do wonders in making success pos- 
sible and permanent. 

Mentally the will directs its energies through 



62 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

the functions of thinking, imagination, con- 
centration and memory. When each of these 
is cultivated and developed, as far as possible, 
the whole Will Power becomes a mighty, in- 
eradicable force which will drive ambition di- 
rect to any chosen goal. 

With a mighty Will, properly conserved and 
directed, practically nothing can stand in its 
way. 

It is mightier than physical force, because 
behind every physical act there is will power. 
Behind all intelligence, knowledge, culture and 
everything brought to the conscious mind there 
is will power — for it is the power of will that 
makes all these possible. 

It stands to reason that any improvement in 
this great personal force will reflect directly 
in the degree of individual accomplishment, re- 
sulting in the quicker and fuller completion of 
any definite ambition. 

Therefore, the greater the will power the 
greater the Success. 

The undeveloped will power includes the 
states of mind embraced in the following. Few 
men and women have a perfectly balanced will 
power, and in practically each of us there are 
certain "weak" qualities giving birth to the 



POWER OF WILL. 63 

conventional phrase "his weakness." There- 
fore we have: 

1. Lack of "self-control." 

2. Inability to make decisions. 

3. Lack of initiative (the most common 

"weakness"). 

4. Inconstancy. 

5. Lack of perseverance. 

6. Lack of reason. 

In some of these qualities you are un- 
doubtedly "weak." To improve self, first study 
your own disposition carefully, your likes and 
dislikes, your personal characteristics — "know 
thyself." If you develop a strong Will Power 
you will be equipped with ample resources for 
the accomplishment of your ambitions. First 
in the category of Will Power weakness is : 

1. Lack of Self Control — This condition 
sometimes develops because one does not be- 
lieve there is a Will Power, and that the con- 
duct of everyday life is the result of "circum- 
stances," "good luck," "bad luck," etc. Other 
common examples of lack of self-control in- 
clude the "bad habits" of drinking, smoking, 
excessive eating and excessive indulgence in 
the animal passions. 

Men are unable to stop the drinking of in- 
toxicating liquors because desire overbalances 



64 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

reason and will power. In all cases of lack of 
self control desire is foremost and strongest, 
even though the ever-guiding conscience pro- 
hibits it. 

The desire for money, for instance, is often 
so strongly developed that it yields to the temp- 
tation to steal it, though the moral qualities 
forbid it. 

Suggestions for Improvement — Resolve that 
your Will Power is masterful and that your 
will shall be done. Throw out of the mind 
the idea that you are a "victim of circum- 
stance." Bear firmly in mind that you can get 
more of what you want through will power. 
Remember others are acquiring wealth, health 
and happiness under all circumstances and you, 
too, should have all these rightfully — all these 
belong also to you. Analyze your "bad habits." 
Say to yourself, "Why do I do it? Am I 
really deriving lasting benefit from this indul- 
gence?" Try cutting out exactly one-third of 
your favorite "bad habit" for the next ten 
days. Do this accurately and religiously. 
Don't try to banish a habit all at once. Such 
is almost impossible and would obey only the 
most powerful of wills. Try it by degrees. 
Note the result after ten days. If possible 
(and it is strongly recommended), keep a ten- 



POWER OF WILL. 65 

day diary, making notes of your daily condi- 
tion under your self treatment. At the end 
of ten days note the result. The fact that you 
have partially ''mastered your habit" will prove 
an inspiration to you. Try it and see. If you 
can successfully cut any "bad" habit one-third, 
you can banish it entirely at will. 

Cultivate the normal desires, but strongly 
avoid the practice of mere wishing. Merely 
wishing for things without making efforts to 
accomplish them, is like having electric lights 
in the daytime; it is wasted mental energy 
and nothing is gained by wasting energy. You 
have a will power — resolve to use it and make 
it master of all your actions. 

2. Inability to Make Decisions — A common 
weakness of will power. Many people know 
they should do some definite thing, yet put 
off positive action through lack of decision to 
do it. They find it easier not to do a certain 
thing than to do it, yet in their own minds 
(conscience) they would like to do it. In mak- 
ing investments of money, for instance, many 
people make the mistake of their lives through 
lack of deciding to do a thing and doing it. 
Most men of money have acquired their wealth 
by weighing an opportunity to invest, then 
grasping the opportunity and making a quick 

(5) 



66 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

decision. Others would have imagined all 
kinds of trouble that might happen in the 
future, yet knowing that the opportunity was 
a good one. The power of will to decide quick- 
ly has brought wealth and power to many. 

Suggestions for Improvement — For the 
next ten days strive to make quicker decisions 
in the little routine matters that come to you 
each day. Don't hurry yourself in deciding 
very important matters, for the facility in so 
doing will come to you more naturally after 
you have practised with the little things. Take 
care of the little things and the big things will 
take care of themselves. Don't let anything 
drift; resolve to decide one way or the other, 
and decide it as quickly as possible. A great 
man once said, "The most important decisions 
in my life have been offhand decisions." Try 
his plan for ten days in a systematic, earnest 
manner, then note the improvement. 

3. Lack of Initiative — Of all will power 
weakness which causes more failures than 
any other thing, lack of initiative is the 
most common. It is that languid, indolent 
feeling which prompts the pitiable expression 
"I can't." Men and women are "tied down" 
everywhere by lack of initiative. They live 
on, day after day, in the same way, eking out a 



POWER OF WILL. 67 

living, while the "ones higher up" are using 
less ability but more initiative, and they are 
the ones who seem to be getting the good 
things in life. The primary cause of poverty 
is lack of initiative. 

Suggestions for Improvement — First, re- 
solve that you are as good as anyone else • that 
you are endowed with a will power, which, 
when properly applied, should bring you a 
fair share of wealth, health and happiness. 
Resolve to use your will power! Call on no 
one to help you, as what you actually accom- 
plish will depend solely on yourself. Others 
may suggest and guide, and you may profit 
through such suggestion and guidance.. Be- 
gin by carefully analyzing your present condi- 
tions, opportunities, ambitions. Study how 
others have succeeded in your own line of en- 
deavor. Form your own plans for improve- 
ment, then resolve to put them into effect. 
Don't merely wish; make out a definite plan, 
then follow it closely and don't give up until 
that object has been accomplished. Do one 
thing at a time and do that one thing well. 
Try following these suggestions carefully, with 
true earnestness, and you will soon note an 
astonishing and, at the same time, inspiring 
change in your whole life. By cultivating your 



68 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

Power of Will to dare and to do, you will soon 
pave a straight, smooth road to the goal of 
Success. 

4. Inconstancy is a trait that is not dif- 
ficult to remedy if proper methods are applied. 
This condition applies to those who make con- 
siderable headway in a given line, then sud- 
denly switch of! into another channel and do 
the same with this second undertaking, and so 
on with many different things throughout a 
lifetime. They never do one thing well, but, 
nevertheless, are endowed with considerable 
initiative, which they apply to continually 
changing kinds of work. 

Suggestions for Improvement — Cultivate 
the one trait of determination to finish a given 
project, once it has been commenced. Before 
making a beginning in anything look ahead to 
a possible finish, then study carefully the way 
between. Resolve to reach the end before 
abandoning the project. This does not mean, 
of course, to confine all work to one particular 
line of endeavor. There should be variations 
of pastimes, pleasures, relaxations, etc., but the 
life work should be continued logically and 
consistently without permanent break, each 
step a little higher, so that the end of each 



POWER OF WILL. 69 

week or month will find you further progressed 
toward your desired goal. 

5. Lack of Perseverance is lack of energy 
or will power to continue. It establishes it- 
self in those who continue along a certain line 
for a while, then "give up" for lack of will 
power to continue, like a storage battery in 
which the electrical energy has been exhausted. 
Determination has run down and will power 
has become nil. 

Suggestions for Improvement — With the 
first "slowing down" tendency the usual thing 
that is done is to look forward to the ultimate 
stop. Make it a point to bear in mind that you 
will not stop and that the goal can be reached 
by a continuation of the effort which preceded 
the temporary "slack." Renew your Will 
Power by saying, "I will continue and do it." 
Bring new determination to bear for the ac- 
complishment of your purpose. 

6. Lack of Reason includes great obstinacy, 
eccentricity, etc. In many cases it develops 
into a species of insanity. Other qualities in- 
clude temper and the headstrong will. 

Uncontrollable temper is not an uncommon 
trait and is the cause of all sorts of complica- 
tions. Obstinacy and headstrong determina- 
tion are qualities of mind which characterize 



70 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

themselves in those who deliberately do a 
thing, regardless of their own good reason 
and the warnings of others. No man has ever 
achieved success who had either of these qual- 
ities predominating. Important affairs in bus- 
iness, as well as domestic relations, are injured 
and many times completely ruined by uncon- 
trollable temper and obstinacy. 

Suggestions for Improvement — Make all de- 
cisions carefully and only when in a calm state 
of mind. If you are troubled with a "quick 
temper," are apt to say things in a "fit of 
anger" that you afterward deeply regretted, 
try this simple rule: count from one to ten 
and then backward from ten to one. This will 
temporarily throw your mind into a new chan- 
nel, and by persistent practice will break the 
"temper" habit permanently. Recall, if pos- 
sible, past experiences, for this in itself will 
prove a helpful check. In business and per- 
sonal correspondence write out your letters 
completely, giving full vent to all your feel- 
ings. Put the letter aside and dismiss the mat- 
ter from your mind. Three days later take the 
letter in hand again. The chances are you will 
rewrite it completely when you are "cooled 
off." 



CONCENTRATION 



What is life but a constant straining for happiness ? 



If it were not for the bumps on the road, we would 
fail to appreciate the smooth way when we come to it. 



The irony of life is this, that we never have any 
comforting philosophy for our own sorrows. 



CHAPTER IV 

CONCENTRATION 

ONCENTRATION is the keystone 

Cyr to the arch of accomplishment. 
yf It is the ability to "stick" to any- 
tr< y t \ thing until the finish. 

The achievement of focusing 
the mind on one thing at a time involves not 
only the energy in striving to do that one 
thing, but also the ability to put aside other 
things to make a clear channel for the desired 
end. 

The power to focus attention has been the 
inseparable adjunct to all achievements in bus- 
iness, politics, art, literature, etc. Through 
this power, men of very ordinary ability have 
risen from poverty to great affluence. 

Concentration is a stepping stone to success 
in any endeavor, and it is a quality of mind 
which may be developed positively the same 
as any other mental quality. 

The value of concentration may be exempli- 
fied in the office of a modern business man. 
Here is the roar of the noise from the street, 



74 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

the constant click of typewriting machines, the 
ringing of telephone bells, the voices of em- 
ployees, calls for interviews and dozens of 
other distractions confronting him always. His 
success depends upon his ability to concentrate 
on the business at hand and put aside the 
hundred and one things that constantly en- 
deavor to prey upon his limited time. 

As much strain comes in keeping aside the 
non-essential in order to make room for the 
essential as in accomplishing the essential ob- 
ject in view. 

Many fail, not because they are not able 
to do one thing well, but because they are 
unable to concentrate their energies on the one 
task, ever allowing other things to rob them 
of time and energy. 

The rays of the sun may be focused on a 
small point by means of a lens and made to 
produce intense heat. It is also possible to 
focus the human energies on some object so 
that the resulting accomplishment will be as- 
tonishing, almost marvelous. 

Before concentration comes attention ; in fact 
concentration is continuity of attention applied 
to a single aim. 

The fundamental facts of attention began 
back in the age of primitive man. Attention 



CONCENTRATION. 75 

is primarily an animal instinct. Loud sounds, 
moving objects, unfamiliar things, and the like 
gave cause for attention in primitive man. 
They do the same today with children and 
animals, such attention being instinctive and 
involuntary. 

To hold one's mind in a certain channel, 
for the purpose of giving voluntary attention 
or concentrating, requires considerable will 
power, especially if the object in view is un- 
interesting. 

Persistent concentration in all things soon 
brings the mind into a state of wonderful effic- 
iency, so that the trait may be developed into 
a habit, whereby concentration of mind will be 
made without particular conscious effort. 

In school, the young boy labors to concen- 
trate his mind on learning arithmetic. Later 
when he becomes a civil engineer nothing at- 
tracts his attention more than a problem in 
higher mathematics. 

Concentration divides itself naturally into 
two classes : positive and negative. 

Positive concentration is the continued at- 
tention given to those accomplishments which 
will reflect goodness, happiness, honest afflu- 
ence, etc. 

Negative concentration is the continued at- 



76 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

tention given to worry, sickness, sorrow, fail- 
ure, etc. Worry is concentrating the mind on 
something imaginary to happen in the future. 

A systematic and earnest application of the 
following exercises will greatly improve the 
faculty of concentration. The person who can 
concentrate rightly for the things he wants, 
whether it be money, health, love, happiness, 
or anything else he may desire, has at his com- 
mand a master force, capable of untold possi- 
bilities. 

Exercise No. 1. Select a quiet place where 
you will be undisturbed. Sit down or recline, 
then close the eyes. Permit the mind to wan- 
der for a couple of minutes. At the end of this 
time proceed to write down on paper all the 
things of which you thought, taking care to 
get them in order as they came to your mind. 
Note the number oi different things of which 
you thought. Repeat this exercise next day, 
and this time fix your mind, that is, concen~ 
trate on exactly two-thirds of the number of 
things on your record of the previous day. 
For example, if you had thought of twelve dif- 
ferent things when you permitted your mind 
to wander, concentrate on exactly eight things 
the next day. This will seem difficult at first, 
but it will prove a fine "tonic" for power in 



CONCENTRATION. 77 

concentration. Repeat this exercise daily for 
a week, then note the improvement. Keep cut- 
ting the number down until you can concen- 
trate on one thing for a full minute. 

Exercise No. 2. Select a quiet place as be- 
fore. Permit one idea to enter your mind and 
proceed to concentrate all thought on that one 
thing for about five minutes. For instance, 
bring to mind a book. Think of its shape, the 
color of the binding, how many pages are 
there? About how much would it weigh? 
Did you like the book? If so, why? If not, 
why? What was the author's last name? His 
first name, etc., etc. Always confine all thought 
to the object in hand. Repeat this exercise 
daily for a week, then note the improvement 
in concentrating power. 

Exercise A T o. 3. Stand alone in the middle 
of a room. Bring to mind six or seven dif- 
ferent things you would like to do. Then, as 
the seventh idea comes to mind decide at once 
what you will do and proceed to do it. Don't 
think back over the ideas passed in mind, as 
this only cultivates the quality of indecision. 
Make your decision in this simple exercise 
quickly, then concentrate on that one thing 
until it is finished. Repeat daily for a week or 
ten days, then note improvement. 



78 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

Exercise No. 4. Decide to take a half 
hour's walk. Plan the way in advance and 
write every detail down on paper. Plan, if 
possible, a roundabout and unordinary way. 
Then start out and follow your written plan 
to the letter. When on the way do not allow 
the sub-conscious temptation to "short cut" or 
to deviate in any manner from the route first 
planned. This exercise appears absurdly sim- 
ple, but it will cultivate the faculty of deter- 
mination in a remarkable degree. Repeat as 
often as possible, at least daily, for ten days, 
then note results. 

Exercise No. 5. With paper and pencil be- 
fore you bring to mind one of your desires, 
something which you have long wished for. 
Write it down. Concentrate on this one idea. 
Write down step by step just what you would 
do to accomplish this aim. Use your imagina- 
tion and reasoning faculties. Let each step be 
a logical sequence of the one before, and don't 
write it down until you are sure you are right. 
First write down your desires, then write down 
in detail, step by step, just what you would do 
to acquire it. Don't ever let the idea enter 
your mind "I couldn't do that." Make your 
plan possible and logical, and imagine that you 
have the power to do everything you write 



CONCENTRATION. 79 

down. Concentrate on the accomplishment of 
your aim. Repeat daily for a week (using 
a different idea each day) then at the end of 
that time go back to the first written plan 
and see if you can improve it. The chances 
are you can. It is this kind of concentration 
that makes our "captains of industry." 

A well thought out, concentrated plan, 
backed by ambition, determination and power 
of will can but bring sure success. 

Keep well in mind: " Concentration is the 
keystone to the Arch of Accomplishment" 



POWER OF IMAGINATION 



(6) 



If, instead of valuable gems and delicately scented 
flowers we would send as a gift to others as little as 
a beautiful thought, we would be giving as the angels 
give. 



Laughter is merely a smile set to music. 



The trees and flowers are sermons without words. 



CHAPTER V 

POWER OF IMAGINATION 




roMAGINATION is the ability to 
reflect in the inner mind the con- 



ditions of an outer mind. 

"Imagination rules the world/' 
said Napoleon, and it is true that 
this quality of mind has been a notable factor 
in the success of all great men and women. 

Each one of us possesses the quality in some 
degree and it should be cultivated. A common 
understanding of the term implies its relation 
to something fanciful, unreal, impossible, as 
in the case of the imagination of the novelist. 
But all imagination is based on actualities. 
Exaggerated imaginations often produce im- 
probabilities, but they are never wholly lacking 
in possibilities. 

The faculty of imagination should not be 
considered as a part of the mental equipment 
necessary only to artists, musicians, poets, 
writers, etc. It is utilized in everyday life, in 
all fields of endeavor. It is often the root of 
happiness and prosperity for many who real- 
ize its possibilities. 



84 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

It is also an error of mental conclusion to 
believe that imagination is akin to genius, and 
that a person is a genius solely because he is 
possessed of a well developed imagination. 
The implication follows then, that only 
geniuses are gifted with cultured imaginations. 
The fact is that genius always involves a well- 
developed imagination, but many other facul- 
ties, also, are highly cultured. 

Imagination begins in childhood. We see 
the little girl with her dolls, investing in each 
an imaginary faculty of mentality in the gift 
of speech and motion, which she in turn inter- 
prets, composing conversations for them ; then 
we see the young boy with his engines, the 
train of cars, which he makes travel over 
imaginary roadbeds, through imaginary tun- 
nels, past imaginary stations. Childhood is the 
age of imitation and imagination. 

The world demands a certain accuracy in 
life's acts, but to be annoyingly dry and matter- 
of-fact is a palpable exaggeration of serious- 
ness. We all know the matter-of-fact person. 
He who possesses very little imagination, and 
what he does have is religiously suppressed, 
and when told about Jacob's ladder asks you 
how many steps it had. 

Great happiness often comes through a well 



POWER OF IMAGINATION. 85 

cultured imagination. Through it we can 
overlook the commonplace and color the dull, 
uninteresting things of life into things of 
beauty and delight. It then becomes a great 
power for contentment and joy — and who is 
there who is not ever seeking contentment? 

And imagination, properly cultivated, is a 
power in the attainment of prosperity. It 
makes success out of hopeless failures. It 
feeds the inspiration. It unlocks the gates to 
opportunity and ambition. It is the window 
that lets in the light of all that is good, noble 
and vitalizing in life. 

Men, too innumerable to name, have sprung 
up from poverty and discouragement to fame 
and fortune through their imaginative powers, 
which had previously lain dormant. 

The great business world whirls on the axle 
of imagination. 

Men who achieve wealth are known to work 
a great deal in the future. They weigh the 
future by the past and present. They study 
details carefully. They study the possibili- 
ties of the future by bringing to mind all that 
might happen, and in delving into future pros- 
pects they use imagination. 

The late James J. Hill, when he first began 
the building of the great railroad system in 



86 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

our Northwest, saw through his imagination 
the things which he later accomplished by 
his genius in railroad organization. 

Great wealth is never achieved by direct 
concern for the present, the future is always 
ahead and present plans must be based on a 
probable future. The business man with an 
imagination can work out new ideas, try them 
out in logical order, and in the end reap a 
worthy prosperity. 

Ideas are the seeds, which, when fertilized 
by a stimulating imagination, grow into the 
fruits of success. 

Most of the great discoveries in science have 
been due to imagination. Those who delve 
for something new usually have an idea, in 
imagination, of what they expect to find. 
Scientific experiment is not mere guess work. 
It is a cultivation of knowledge, experience 
and imagination. Through such we have from 
the product of genius, the inventions of 
Thomas A. Edison and the plant creations of 
Luther Burbank. Other men have studied 
electricity and chemistry in a matter-of-fact 
way, and the world called them "scientists." 
They studied and discovered, then tabulated 
and wrote books on the causes, effects, whys 
and wherefores of electrical and chemical en- 



POWER OF IMAGINATION. 87 

ergy, but their real service to humanity was 
noticeably small. 

The life work of Thomas A. Edison has had 
a direct influence on nearly every human being 
in the world. The value of his service to 
humanity is beyond price or estimate. 

Other men have studied plants and trees 
in a prosaic manner known as "scientific/' 
They have traveled over the world to find and 
classify the different species; each life work 
has been one of collection and logical classi- 
fication, principally for the next generation of 
their kind to improve, extend or criticise. 

But Luther Burbank, with his imagination 
and his "unscientific" modes of experimenting, 
has given the world plant and fruit creations 
for the common good of humanity which will 
make his name go down to all posterity. 

In science, in literature, in art, in business — 
in fact in all lines of endeavor, the faculty of 
imagination plays an important part. 

The man with day-dreams and visions of the 
future will sooner or later shake hands with 
success. 

It is possible for any normal man or woman 
to acquire as much knowledge as any other 
man or woman. The gaining of knowledge is 
simply a matter of concentration, memory and 



88 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

imitation. Anyone can secure a college edu- 
cation who has these three mental faculties. 
However, the manner in which one makes use 
of any knowledge depends upon the imagina- 
tion. 

Great knowledge will not by any means 
bring success; in fact it is apt to overburden 
the intellect and produce a species of failure. 
But little knowledge, with a good imagina- 
tion, has brought success to thousands. And 
in defining Success we must bear in mind that 
it is measured by the amount of service we 
reflect to our fellows. 

Ambition itself is really the product of 
imagination. In aiming for a certain goal you 
see in your imagination a perfect picture of 
your desire. 

A great national advertiser once said that 
when he contemplated putting out a new 
brand of food, he would imagine himself as a 
prospective buyer and would construct his 
advertisement so that it would convey a dis- 
tinctive and attractive message. He would 
imagine himself finding every conceivable 
fault with the new article, then in turn con- 
struct his arguments accordingly. 

Of course it is possible and true with many 
that the faculty of imagination can be directed 



POWER OF IMAGINATION. 89 

into improper channels of mental activity 
which will produce ill results. 

Fear is a species of imagination in the wrong 
course. 

Fear is today holding down thousands of 
men and women ; fear of self ; fear of things ; 
fear of future events, etc. The psychology of 
fear is a deep study. You might read through 
several volumes of books on fear and courage, 
its causes and effects, whys and wherefores, 
and you would know little more about its 
remedy than when you commenced. 

Almost every one of us is handicapped by 
some kind of fear, simply because each of us 
is endowed with imperfections, mentally and 
physically; each of us is possessed with an 
imagination in some degree; therefore it is 
perfectly logical and natural that imperfections 
of the imagination should manifest themselves 
in each of us in some degree. 

Fear may be great or it may be slight ; when 
it is great it is terrible in its power. 

Many have "golden" opportunities at hand, 
but fail to plunge in and dare and do, because 
of fear. Lots of people might make more 
money, win lasting honors, acquire better 
health, promote more happiness, but they 
don't do these things because they are afraid. 



90 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

It is so much easier to find excuses not to do 
them. 

An example is called to mind of two young 
men who decided upon a business career as 
their life work. In the course of time various 
opportunities in the way of investing money 
came to both. The one divided his savings 
into small groups and invested each portion 
in stocks which gave promise of making good 
money for him in the future. He was full of 
dare and ready to do. The other was skeptical 
over each of his partner's investments. He 
was afraid to put his money in the stock in- 
vestments, and was ready to criticise and frame 
all kinds of excuses why he should not. He 
said : "If all this stock is so worthy, why don't 
the big moneyed men buy it all quickly ?" 

And so he withheld and let his savings re- 
main idle. The other, by judiciously investing 
his money in small lots in several different 
stocks, made his money double, then treble. 
in the course of a few years, with the dare and 
ao determination, he became a man of wealth 
and power. His partner is still in the "old 
stand" working away, afraid to break loose 
from the chains that hold him down, but man- 
aging to eke out a mere living. 



POWER OF IMAGINATION. 91 

Fear smothers success; kills ambition; 
evades opportunity. 

There is one absolute and positive cure for 
all fears and that is involved in this: Fear 
may be banished by cultivating and developing 
an opposite mood of imagination until the op- 
posite mood predominates. While these in- 
structions may seem to be more easily given 
than followed, the rule is almost infallible, as 
experience and study have proven. 

Fear of self is a small voice within that 
whispers : "If I do that I might lose out, I 
might be sorry, I might regret it." While at 
the same time you feel that you ought to do — 
but you are afraid. Your imagination is in 
the wrong channel. Try hard to reverse the 
train of thought and cultivate the opposite 
mood. Instead of thinking "might," think 
"can" and "will." Imagine you can do it. 
Imagine just how you would do it. Imagine 
you are doing it. Then imagine you have done 
it. 

Exercise No. 1. Take some particular 
thing about which you have the least fear. It 
may be some simple little matter or it may 
be something of importance. Reverse your 
process of imagining, as directed previously. 
It may appear difficult at first, especially if you 



92 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

have a "deep rooted fear." Never feel proud 
to acknowledge a fear. Never say to another, 
"Do you know I have a deadly fear of so- 
and-so?" In this exercise select a quiet place 
and practice, preferably with the eyes closed, 
in order to shut out possible visual distractions. 
Practice faithfully twice a day for a week. 
Each time try to extend your imagination in 
the opposite mood and try to exaggerate it as 
much as possible. 

This will help wonderfully and before long 
your "deep rooted" fear will seem insignificant 
and of small consequence. In the course of 
this daily exercise laugh at your fears; say 
to yourself, "how absurd, for me to think such 
a thing!" Make it seem small, enlarge on the 
opposite mood and you will banish the trouble 
as sure as you live. The method is simple, 
practical and positive. 

Exercise No. 2. Select a novel or short 
story which you have not previously read. 
When the author describes a character imagine 
that person in front of you ; imagine that per- 
son walking slowly about your room. Imagine 
every movement made ; bring to the mind every 
possible detail j front view, profile, back view, 
etc. Then bring before you another character 
and go through the same process. It will be of 



POWER OF IMAGINATION. 93 

help to imagine the person on a slightly raised 
pedestal or platform, which would turn slowly 
presenting you with all views of the person. 
This exercise should be continued each day for 
a week or ten days, then note improvement 
in the imaginary powers. The exercise will 
also prove intensely interesting and help to 
build up a faculty which will never be re- 
gretted all through life. 

Exercise No. 3. Select a novel or story and 
read about half or two thirds of it, then stop. 
Then write out one version of the expected 
ending. Imagine what the ending would be. 
You need have no gift at writing to do this. 
Simply concentrate on imagining the ending in 
logical common sense order. Don't guess at 
the ending. Reason it out. When you finish 
with one version put it aside and next day write 
out another. In writing out these expected 
endings don't stop or bother to put your ideas 
into story form — just sketch out the probable 
ending of the story in as few words as pos- 
sible. 

Try this for four or five days, then finish 
the story and note the comparisons. Practice 
with other stories, especially short ones, which 
do not consume much time in reading. This 
exercise may seem difficult at first. Its con- 



94 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

tinued practice will develop the imaginative 
faculties to a remarkable degree. The author 
does not wish to imply that these exercises 
are intended to be of benefit only to those 
following, or intending to follow literature, art, 
music, etc., but that they will be of vital value 
to those following or preparing for any line 
of work. The value of a clean-cut, practical, 
vivid imagination is beyond estimate. 

Exercise No. 4. Bring to mind something 
you desire to accomplish within the next year. 
Imagine yourself beginning the thing* in view. 
Just how would you begin and what would you 
accomplish in the first week? In the first 
month? Imagine yourself carrying out the 
plan step by step (if more convenient write 
down on paper) ; imagine the possible and 
probable obstacles. Look ahead into the 
future and imagine what you would do in 
each case. Why would you do such and such 
a thing? Could you do something better in 
each case? Continue imagining all the details 
possible, both from what you yourself would 
and could do, and also what the various con- 
ditions would be at that time. Throw your 
whole self into this exercise and practice it 
faithfully. Through similar thought forces 



POWER OF IMAGINATION. 95 

the millionaire gains his financial success. 
Imagination ! What a wonderful faculty ! 

Exercise No. 5. Cultivate, also, idealism 
and things aesthetic. Imagine a beautiful 
home, its interior decorations. Don't recall 
from memory any particular interior view — 
simply imagine something beautiful, artistic, 
harmonious. Imagine a beautiful woman 
therein. Why is she beautiful? Imagine her 
looks, shape, dress, everything in as much de- 
tail as possible. Concentrate your imagina- 
tion. Think of the beautiful, the ideal in 
the human form, in nature, in things the pro- 
duct of man's mind. It is the cultivation of 
this mood that brings to most of us the ca- 
pacity for absorbing happiness out of the 
ordinary things in everyday life. It is born 
in each and every normal person to admire 
beautiful women, noble men, children and all 
the beauties of nature which surround us. If 
one does not, the trait has been stunted and 
needs nourishment and exercise. By absorb- 
ing the beautiful you will eventually reflect the 
best in you when you come in contact with your 
fellows. 

Take for example a passage in the author's 
description of Viperine from "The Vampire :" 
"She was not beautiful; but she so uniquely 



96 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

hovered on the brink of beauty that lovelier 
women were stirred by the contemplation of 
her, to bitter jealousy, and men to broken 
friendships, to tortured ironies on their former 
ideals. Small, of subtly harmonizing propor- 
tions, there was an almost Satanic magnetism 
in the satiny, serpentine grace of her every 
movement that invested her whole presence 
with an irresistible allurement. She possessed 
a mouth like a sea-shell — a curve of coral tinted 
pallor, edged with a fugitive glow of carmine. 
The coppery burnish of the golden-rod tresses, 
while intensifying the dead ivory tint of her 
skin, lent a weird effectiveness to her eyes, 
which were of that curious lambent color — 
as of green shining through a veil of violet — 
that may sometimes be observed when a slant 
of sunlight transfuses a wave as it curves 
over the shadow of a thundercloud." 

The following, in a different vein, from the 
author's "Idyl" might serve also as a product 
of imagination: 

"We all have dreams — day-dreams and 
visions that flash their messages of inspira- 
tion — sparks of imagination that kindle into 
gorgeous realisms. They steal in unaware, 
with palette and brush and like some magic 
artist paint on the mind's canvass all the au- 



POWER OF IMAGINATION. 97 

tumnal tints of russet, gold and red, reaching 
out into forests of shimmering colors, corn- 
fields, orchards and the meadow-lands where 
Indian Summer left its cloak of rustic beauty. 

"Or with vernal green and the white and 
pink of choicest flowers, this great painter of 
the heart can portray a visionary landscape and 
reproduce in the dismal hours of gloom, all 
the wonders of imaginative beauties, as on 
the walls of the inner soul. 

"Or he will pile his harvests o'er the verdant 
valleys and cap all with the spirit of bounteous 
husbandry, making into his painting the sweet 
rustic melody that intones domestic beauty. 

"Such a master is the painter of imagina- 
tion. Such is a musician who can harmonize 
the theme of a babe's croon, timing it to the 
tapping of his chubby fists and embellishing 
the melody with the violet tinge of his laugh- 
ing eyes. Day dreams — abstractions — reveries 
and modulations of the mind that is never at 
rest. At times they seem to come as an afflic- 
tion, but they ever refresh us! They bring 
balsam from the nothingness and balm for the 
soul's emptiness. Each is a filigree fancy ; each 
of cobweb like tenuity, yet each is a germ 
of reality that may bloom forth into a gorgeous 
maturity — and then we see the birth of genius. " 

(7) 



98 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

Try to imagine something inspiring or beau- 
tiful in the little things of everyday life. It 
may sound foolish, but in the end you will 
reap wonderful rewards. The suggestions of 
nature, plus imagination, have been the means 
of inspiring great inventions, works of art, 
business successes, etc. 

Born of imagination is inspiration! Be- 
come inspired with something. Let it reflect 
on your own personality and you will soon be 
inspiring others. 

Then remember what Napoleon said: 
"Imagination rules the world." 



ORIGINAL CREATION 



Beware of the man who is continually finding fault 
with his own intelligence ; the recourse of the ignorant 
one is to call himself ignorant. 



Success is very often the aftermath of failure. 



A rolling stone may gather no moss, but the trouble 
with a lot of us is too much moss. 



CHAPTER VI 

ORIGINAL CREATION 

ITHOUT earnestness no man is 

Wever great, nor does really great 
yf things. He may be the cleverest 
of men, he may be brilliant, en- 
tertaining, popular, but he will 
want weight. No soul-moving picture was 
ever painted that had not in it the depth of 
shadow." — Peter Bayne. 

In each of us there should be developed a 
liking for some one thing that brings us the 
thrills of enthusiasm. 

Enthusiasm is, indeed, a great tonic. 

You may drive yourself to do good things 
by sheer will force, concentration, and so forth, 
but enthusiasm is a power which makes things 
seem easy, when in reality they are not. 

Enthusiasm in work is inspiration, joy and 
gladness. 

Nothing great is ever achieved without it. 
Enthusiasm is the root of original creation. 

Each one of us comes into this world a 
little different from any other human being. 



102 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

Each of us varies in mentality and each of us 
is different physically and morally. Each of 
us lives differently. Each of us progresses or 
digresses in variance with any other. We come 
then to that supreme principle: 

Every one of us lives in a world of our 
own. 

Every life is different. Every life is indi- 
vidual. Every accomplishment or success is 
different. Every failure is different. 

Your life is before you, and with even the 
smallest amount of imagination you can see a 
little ways ahead. 

It is your life road. Does it turn a little 
ways ahead or end in darkness? Or does it 
extend straight ahead? Is it rough or is it 
smooth in its course? 

Many unconsciously drift into a kind of 
monotonous sameness in their daily lives, 
which in time deadens the ambition and also 
impairs the intellectual faculties, so that any 
desired achievement, out of the beaten path, 
can be accomplished only through great effort. 

The writer once knew a clerk in a railroad 
office. He was a man of ordinary education 
and ordinary ambition, but he did his work 
well, because he was receiving a hundred dol- 
lars a month for his services. He had a family 



ORIGINAL CREATION. 103 

to care for and he managed to live fairly com- 
fortably on his income as a clerk. However, 
he was receiving as high a salary as any clerk 
in his division, so he thought he should be 
satisfied. Of course he wished to do this and 
that to make more money, but he never made a 
close study of the requirements of the "big 
salaried jobs," neither did he study his own 
talents and their possibilities. So he settled 
down, satisfied that he was making as much as 
he ever could hope to earn. The years slipped 
by and he drew his hundred dollars regularly 
each month. Then one day a sneaking fear 
came to him and told him he might be "re- 
duced" when they reorganized the force. The 
fear grew and grew. But the fear gripped 
him in a vital place and one day, when alone, 
his fist banged down on his desk and he found 
himself saying : "Well, what of it? Why am 
I making only a hundred dollars a month at 
work I fairly detest ? I can do better ! There's 
something better for me and I'm going to get 
it!" 

He summed together his talents, his ambi- 
tions, his likes and dislikes. He studied them 
and handled them as in a game of chess. Then, 
when approaching the middle age line, he be- 
gan to study, to practice faithfully, to make 



104 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

every minute count. And he prepared well. 
He found enthusiasm in his new work. He 
became inspired. Life seemed something new 
to him. He was happier than ever before, and 
the hardest kind of work brought him intense 
pleasure. He went ahead to the astonishment 
of his fellows. He virtually forced himself 
up. He mingled with the "higher-up" men; 
talked with them as a man who knows, con- 
sulted with them, but never intruding or sug- 
gesting a favor. He went up and up. Today 
he is a civil engineer on one of our great rail- 
road systems and draws a salary of $20,000 
yearly. Luck? Not at all. Superior ability? 
No. Pluck and grit? Yes, and with it the 
never failing force — enthusiasm. 

You have the power within you to do some- 
thing well and to do it like no other person — 
you have the power of original creation. 

You are in a world of your own. You can, 
to a certain degree, develop and enlarge that 
power so that it will bring you more of hap- 
piness, money, prestige, or whatever it is you 
earnestly desire to possess. 

Countless thousands are plodding along day 
by day in the same manner as did the railroad 
clerk. Many cling on, trusting to good luck 
to carry them through. Every success to 



ORIGINAL CREATION. 105 

them is "pull" or just plain "luck." Thous- 
ands drift on as chips on the tide, in utter ob- 
livion to the greater prosperity and happiness 
that would come to them through the proper 
development of their own talents. "What's 
the use?" they ask, and go on blindly in the 
same old way. 

"It is so very easy for you successful men to 
sit back and tell us poor devils how to suc- 
ceed" is the wail of another element, imply- 
ing again that luck is a synonym of success 
and lacking appreciation of the effort, the 
hard work, the years of concentration that 
brought the rewards of success. 

Every man or woman who makes a success 
knows just why and how he or she succeeded. 
They have all been, without one single excep- 
tion, optimists, believing life to be worth while, 
wonderful when properly lived, and aiming 
to get the most out of it. A pessimist has 
never yet achieved success. 

Enthusiasm is a stepping stone to success. 

The employees in a large mercantile house 
ridiculed a certain office boy because he was 
constantly at work, and was always doing a 
little more than his position called for. He 
was enthusiastic, cheerful and happy in all his 
work. His associates laughed at him and told 



106 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

him he would never get a cent for all his 
extra trouble. But they were mistaken. Years 
after he became manager and owner of the 
whole establishment. 

One of the greatest assets any young man 
or woman can possess is the quality of true 
enthusiasm and earnestness in every day work, 
it will bring its rich rewards sooner or later. 

Today is the day that steps aside for young 
manhood and young womanhood when they 
have something worth while to say or do. 

Age is no barrier to accomplishment. 

Napoleon had conquered Italy at twenty-five. 
Romulus founded Rome at twenty. Gladstone 
was in Parliament in early manhood. Byron 
and Raphael completed their life work at 
thirty-seven and Poe lived but a few months 
longer. 

No one need be afraid of enthusiasm. There 
are people who will sarcastically term enthu- 
siasm akin to "crankiness," but the half- 
hearted, the coldly critical, the sneering, doubt- 
ing, fearing set of people never accomplish 
anything worth the trouble of mention; and 
serve only as stumbling blocks to those who 
progress onward in earnest endeavor. 

A piece of hot steel, even though blunt, will 
penetrate farther into a piece of wood than a 



ORIGINAL CREATION. 107 

a cold, sharp piece. "Burning enthusiasm" 
will do more than a cold, calculating intelli- 
gence. 

Enthusiasm breeds optimism, and optimism 
is the forerunner of all that makes for hap- 
piness, good cheer, light-heartedness, gayety, 
etc. It was the optimist who said : 

"I fell ten stories, 
And at each window bar 
I shouted to my friends 
'All right so far.' " 

It is this hopeful, optimistic type of thought 
that makes for the most in original creation* 
When the mind sets itself along these lines 
it unconsciously and consciously attracts seen 
and unseen elements which aid in the accom- 
plishment of a set purpose. 

Those who think success, attract success and 
eventually absorb it. Environment is an im- 
portant factor, but the proper development of 
enthusiasm and the optimistic style of think- 
ing makes for original creation in a more per- 
manent degree. 

Next in the category of fundamentals neces- 
sary to original creation comes the factor of 
experience. 



108 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

The common expression that experience is 
the best teacher, implies that it is your own 
experience only. Such is somewhat erroneous 
as no one can begin with experience. 

The experience of others, coupled with your 
own, is the greatest of all teachers. 

First, learn through the experiences of 
others. Know their causes of success and if 
you know the circumstances of any failures, 
you will know the cause of failure. 

The experiences of others should furnish 
you with the first enthusiasm to do something 
likewise or something better. 

The experiences which are most valuable will 
be those which directly touch your field of 
endeavor. But with these fortifications you 
will sometimes make mistakes. Achievement 
is not so much a matter of not making any 
mistakes, as it is avoiding the repetition of a 
mistake when it is once discovered. 

There are many who rely too much on their 
own experience and do not take cognizance of 
the fact that the experience of others is more 
valuable to us before we make our own. 

Experience of others forms a basis of en- 
thusiasm for original creations of our own. 
We are enabled through our own individual 
talents to sift from the experiences of others 



ORIGINAL CREATION. 109 

the germ which we ourselves can develop and 
enlarge into something distinctly our own. 
Through specialization we concentrate on this 
one thing, making it grow and enlarge until 
it meets the dimensions of our fondest desires. 

The good things in life are not necessarily 
exhausted or neglected, as is supposed by some, 
through the painstaking cultivation of one 
special faculty. However, it is true that spe- 
cialization can stunt the growth of other fac- 
ulties, thereby diminishing the value of the 
man or woman as a whole, in his or her rela- 
tion to society. 

In an intellectual way some are inclined to 
underestimate the work of others who are 
engaged in a totally different occupation. The 
business man has often little regard for science, 
art or philosophy, and forgets that the culti- 
vation of these very qualities would add to his 
bank balance, increase his prestige and pro- 
mote his popularity. The scientist and phil- 
osopher, on the other hand, often have little 
tolerance for the business man and dub him a 
"slave to lucre," devoid of anything higher. 
They forget that to succeed in business re- 
quires keen study, a flexible intelligence and 
will power in no small degree. 

To make the most of life you cannot neglect 



110 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

the cultivation of those qualities of mind which 
go to make up a well-balanced personality. 
Neither must the cultivation of the body be 
slighted. Both, when cultivated to a reasona- 
ble degree, tend to promote the "main issue" 
with increased vigor, making it more appre- 
ciative and permanent. 

But it is right here that many make the 
greatest mistakes of their lives. It is aptly 
exemplified in that hackneyed adage: "He is 
jack at all trades but master of none." Too 
many fall into the habit, or the inclination to 
flit from one thing to another, making no con- 
centration on any one thing in particular. It 
is easier, in a way, to follow the lines of least 
resistance in intellectual endeavor than it is 
to build up from a "specialty." 

The man or woman who wishes to make the 
greatest success is he or she who will specialize. 
The world has little use for "walking encyclo- 
pedias." A good storehouse of knowledge is 
an intellectual luxury that can be of use all 
through life, but what the world wants is not 
those who merely know, but those who make 
use of their knowledge and accomplish some- 
thing worth while — are producers — original 
creators. 



ORIGINAL CREATION. Ill 

Specialize for original creations by culti- 
vating a symmetrical personality. 

Make use of knowledge that is gained and 
gain no knowledge of which you cannot make 
use. A good knowledge of Greek will be of 
little value to the man whose ambition in life 
is to be a prosperous merchant. 

The qualities, then, that are most conducive 
to original creation may be briefly outlined : 

1. Enthusiasm. 

2. Earnestness. 

3. Optimism. 

4. Experience of others and self. 

5. Specialism. 

6. Habit formation. 

Under habits, their use and abuse, we are 
confronted with a factor that embraces ninety- 
five per cent, of our conscious activity. 

Everyone of us possesses habits, good and 
bad, and it is a fact that most of our acts are 
the result of habit. 

Habit may be defined as a manner of acting 
and thinking which, when repeated frequently, 
becomes practically automatic. 

It is true that most of the big things, the 
worth while things in life, are due mainly to 



112 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

habit. Nothing is more conducive to success 
than the building up of good habits. 

Creating or producing ideas or material 
things (a thing cannot be fashioned until the 
idea is first formed in the mind through the 
process of imagination), is always the result 
of continued habit along the line of specialism. 

The ability to acquire habits is indeed a won- 
derful human trait, because it can readily be 
seen that with care, patience and practice, good 
habits can be formed and will be of inestimable 
value in the fight for success. 

Habit is a stepping stone to success. 

When an act is carefully studied, rightly 
practiced until it becomes a habit, it can be 
made into a never failing influence. One driv- 
ing an automobile is a familiar illustration of 
habit. The manipulation of the gear levers 
and everything connected with the driving 
machinery is done automatically, easily and 
without apparent effort. It has all become a 
habit. But the beginner, attempting to drive 
an automobile for the first time and compelled 
to give the closest attention to each step in 
the process, is a typical example of an act de- 
manding attention in contrast to one that has 
developed into a habit by constant repetition. 



ORIGINAL CREATION. 113 

The psychology of habit formation is a 
"deep" study and it is beyond the scope of 
this work to dwell on it other than in a brief 
manner. 

Studies and experiments in physiology con- 
vince us that every time we think there is a 
slight change in the nerve-cells in some part 
of the brain. The action might be likened to 
the disc on a phonograph; when the impres- 
sion is made permanent it is not difficult to 
reproduce it. In like manner it is easy to 
think or act an old accustomed thought or act. 

Habit is a wonderful time saver. To save 
time, to increase efficiency and to prevent ex- 
haustion, reduce acts to habits. The novice at 
the typewriter must first study each motion ; 
when proficient he can write rapidly and ac- 
curately, yet give no particular thought to the 
striking of each key. 

Habit is possible with all things requiring 
thought, but the formation of habits by con- 
tinually practicing the things which we use in 
everyday life, is sadly neglected. A little in- 
telligent daily practice would convert many 
uninteresting and distasteful things into habit. 
When things are reduced to habit they will 
go on automatically, and attention can be 

(8) 



114 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

devoted to bigger things for gradual enlarge- 
ment. 

Through such a process one is enabled to 
make more use of limited time, to create more, 
to produce more. 

The more we can convert the details of our 
daily life into habit the more time and energy 
we will have to devote to the little things that 
make for progress and greater success. 

Professor William James, the psychologist, 
expresses this point quite forcibly : "The great 
thing, then, in all education is to make our 
nervous system our ally, instead of our enemy ; 
to fund and capitalize our acquisitions and 
live at ease upon the interest of the fund. For 
this we must make automatic and habitual, as 
early as possible, as many useful actions as 
we can, and guard against the growing into 
ways that are likely to be disadvantageous to 
us, as we should guard against the plague. 
The more of the details of our daily life we 
can hand over to the effortless custody of au- 
tomatism, the more our higher powers will 
be set free for their own proper work. There, 
is no more unsociable human being than one, 
in whom nothing is habitual but indecision, and 
for whom the lighting of every cigar, the drink- 
ing of every cup, the time of rising and going 



ORIGINAL CREATION. 115 

to bed every day, and the beginning of every 
bit of work, are subjects of express volitional 
deliberation. Full half the time of such a man 
goes to the deciding or regretting of manners 
which ought to be so ingrained in him as 
practically not to exist for his consciousness at 
all." 



PERSONAL MAGNETISM 



Contrary to the laws of metals, the "man of steel" 
never loses his temper in the heat of argument. 



If you'll just pick out the bad in yourself and the 
good in the other fellow, you'll soon discover that 
he's not so bad after all. 



Life's like a mirror— the more you smile at it, the 
more it smiles back. 




CHAPTER VII 

PERSONAL MAGNETISM 

T was Henry Ward Beecher who 
said: 

"There are persons so radiant, 

so genial, so kind, so pleasure 

bearing- that you instinctively 

feel in their presence that they do you good; 

whose coming into a room is like the bringing 

of a lamp there." 

This is personal magnetism. It is that qual- 
ity of personality which attracts, causes ad- 
miration in others and is a compelling force 
to success and good living. It is that indefin- 
able quality which makes homely men and 
women attractive, and brings prosperity and 
happiness to the uncultured. 

A woman, for instance, may be beautiful 
and brilliant mentally, but if she lacks "per- 
sonal magnetism" she is dull and uninteresting 
to those with whom she comes in contact. 

Personal magnetism is the magic flame that 
lights up the inner soul. It is that wonderful 
charm which, when properly cultivated and 
used, is a priceless treasure. 



120 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

It is true that all things of influence can be 
made to produce good or evil. The conven- 
tional terms "good influence" and "bad in- 
fluence" pertain directly to the qualities of 
magnetic personality. 

This quality is inherent in all of us, yet very 
few people know of its possibilities or that it 
can be developed as any other quality of mind. 

Once again we are confronted with that 
great principle : Like produces like. 

Good influence produces good influence and, 
inversely, bad influence produces the negative 
quality. 

The negative personal magnetism evinces 
itself in those who prey on others in a "hyp- 
notic" manner, thereby influencing their 
thoughts or acts into improper channels. The 
society "vampire," the worldly woman, who by 
physical beauty, alluring dress and enticing 
manners can lead men astray, ruin homes and 
instigate jealousy and often murder, is an ex- 
ample of personal magnetism in the wrong 
course. Then there are men endowed with 
every outward charm, who can bring the most 
diabolical influence to bear fruit in the hearts 
of their trusting friends. 

But, like all that produces evil, unhappiness, 
discouragement and failure, negative personal 



PERSONAL MAGNETISM. 121 

magnetism is short-lived. It dies a quick death 
from the sting of its own poison. 

How good and wonderful it is to see a man 
or woman go through life enjoying the pros- 
perity of honest toil, the happiness of friends 
and society and attracting the esteem and ad- 
miration of everyone by the pleasant coun- 
tenance, the glad hand clasp and the ever 
present good-cheer smile ! When we see such 
a man or woman we feel inspired by the mere 
sight. It seems that with all they have, Suc- 
cess has been very kind and generous to them. 
Yet they spread their influence unconsciously 
through their radiant personality. 

Magnetic personality is the outward symbol 
of character. 

The eyes, the countenance, the holding of 
the mouth, the manner of walk, the motion 
of the limbs — these are all tools of personal 
magnetism. 

But perhaps the greatest of all is the power 
of the spoken word, with its intonation of 
sincerity and kindliness. And behind every 
spoken word or written word, there is thought 
force. 

Laboratory experiments have proven that 1 
thoughts are forces. They have form, direc- 
tion and power and are capable of being con- 



122 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

trolled, cultivated and made to be the medium 
through which the ideal things in life may 
be obtained. It may be safely said that the 
careful and systematic study of thought forces 
should be one of the most important under- 
takings of a life time. Today many of us 
are so blinded by the hurry and bustle of the 
world that we drift on, forgetting that, or 
not having realized that right in the mind, 
through the mediums of thought force there 
is the secret of success. 

Others, more wise, more ambitious, more 
patient, study and practice these great prin- 
ciples, then with superior power and genuine 
earnestness, plunge in like a healthy school 
boy in a foot race, making their daily work 
bring them back the most in rewards through 
this cultivated efficiency; and when we see 
them prosperous and happy we are too often 
inclined to point our remarks with a sneer 
that "they were lucky," 

If you want success, if you want radiant 
health, if you want the fullness of peace and 
happiness — cultivate that vital, pulsing, never- 
failing power personal magnetism. 

We are living in a veritable sea of thought 
forces or "waves." We have been unable to 
determine exactly all that pertains to the cause 



PERSONAL MAGNETISM. 123 

of these forces, but we do know their effect. 
In this sense the subject matter is confined 
purely to mental forces and should not be con- 
fused with the higher or Infinite Powers be- 
yond the control of man's mind. 

The law of thought forces is continually 
operating. We may or may not be conscious 
of it. Some of these ideas may appear "queer" 
or beyond good reason. However, they have 
been proven to be true by all those who have 
made the matter one of careful study. 

Stop a minute and think. Where does the 
thought come from? If you create it, from 
what do you create it? When you see some- 
thing you receive the vibrations of light waves 
on the retina of the eyes. Light waves are 
forces — so are thought waves. When you 
think you receive an impression from some- 
where ; it is impossible for you to know the 
exact sequence of your thoughts. For instance, 
you could not tell the exact thought that would 
come to you (be impressed) during the next 
thirty days. In fact you could not tell for 
the next five minutes. But even as true as 
this is the peculiar fact that your thoughts are 
continually changing. 

If it is impossible for you to govern the 
sequence of your thoughts, it must stand to 



124 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

reason that there are outside influences which 
determine the process of your mental activities. 
There are people, animals, things, and their 
combinations and actions create circumstances 
unforeseen. 

The projection of thought forces, either con- 
sciously or unconsciously, is the basis of all 
forms of personal magnetism. 

''Hypnotism," "New Thought," "Telepathy," 
"Christian Science," "Mental Science of Heal- 
ing," etc., whatever they are, whatever their 
cause and effect (which is without the scope 
of this work to discuss), they are all based 
on the power of personal magnetism. 

The power of thought, its possibilities when 
consciously cultivated and projected so as not 
only to develop self, but to influence others, 
is a quality of mind concerning which the ordi- 
nary person gives little attention, yet which 
has been proven to be the real secret of pros- 
perity and happiness in every single case of 
individual success. 

Physical attractiveness is, of course, import- 
ant in everyday life, business, society, etc. 
But many neglect the simple requisite to phy- 
sical attractions, through carelessness, indif- 
ference, or because the importance of the mat- 



PERSONAL MAGNETISM. 125 

ter has not been fully realized. (See chapter 
on "Mind and Sense Culture.") 

Many men and women possessing attractive 
personality, as evinced in their writing and 
speaking, lose a large degree of their magnet- 
ism through improper or inappropriate dress. 
The day of eccentricity in dress is past. 
"When in Rome do as the Romans do" is an 
old saying well worth remembering. In busi- 
ness and society the clear cut, neatly dressed 
man or woman is always given more consider- 
ation and respect than those who are careless 
in their attire or who go to the other extreme 
by wearing "flashy" attire. A poorly dressed 
person may excite sympathy, but not respect. 
The manner of dress is often in itself a key- 
note to a person's character. 

There is probably no other virtue, outside of 
ability and will power that contributes as much 
to a young man's success as a courteous man- 
ner and true gentlemanliness. When other 
things are equal it is the man with the best 
manners who receives the better position when 
there is a vacancy higher up. 

Make courtesy come first. The silent lan- 
guage of your face and manner speaks louder 
than all your mental brilliancy. Snobbishness, 
habitual criticism and roughness poison the 



126 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

personal atmosphere, shut out opportunities 
and kill success. 

Clean, dignified conduct is a stepping stone 
to success. 

The story is told of a Green Mountain lad 
of twenty, who found himself confronted by 
poverty and its attendant hardships, penniless 
and alone in an Illinois town. He had no 
clothes, only those which he wore. But he was 
not daunted. He had red-blooded snap and 
bull-dog determination. His pleasant manner 
and cheery smile so pleased everyone that he 
soon found employment as a clerk. He gained 
friends rapidly and a little later established 
himself as the school teacher in the little vil- 
lage. During his leisure time he studied law 
and at twenty-one began his career in the pro- 
fession of law. His popularity steadily in- 
creased and he became a member of the Leg- 
islature, Secretary of State and then a Judge 
in the Supreme Court. Three years later he 
was elected to Congress, where he remained 
the rest of his life. His name was Stephen A. 
Douglas. He acquired talent and ability, but 
it was his kindhearted and genial manner that 
brought him popularity. 

"My first impression of Mr. Lincoln," says 
a lady of Springfield, "was made by one of his 



PERSONAL MAGNETISM. 127 

kind deeds. I was going with a little friend 
for my first trip on the railroad cars. It 
was an epoch of my life. I had planned 
for it and dreamed of it for weeks. The day 
came, but as the hour of departure approached 
the hackman failed to call for my trunk. As 
the minutes passed I realized in grief, that I 
should miss the train. I was standing by the 
gate, my hat and gloves on, sobbing as if my 
heart would break, when Mr. Lincoln came by. 

" 'Why, what's the matter ?' he asked, and I 
poured out my story. 

" 'How big is the trunk? There's still time, 
if it isn't too big,' and he pushed through the 
gate to the door. My mother took him up 
to my room where my little, old fashioned 
trunk stood. 

" 'Oh, ho !' he cried, 'wipe your eyes and 
come on quick.' And before I knew what he 
was going to do, he had shouldered the trunk, 
was down stairs and striding out of the yard. 
Down the street he went, as fast as his long 
legs would carry him, I trotting behind, dry- 
ing my tears as I went. We reached the sta- 
tion in time. Mr. Lincoln put me on the train, 
kissed me good-bye, and told me to have a 
good time. It was just like him." 



128 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

Civility surely costs nothing, but brings its 
rewards rich and lasting. 

A magnetic personality may be created and 
enlarged through proper association. Every- 
day happenings reveal to us the truth of the 
statement. Nothing can evade the law that 
like produces like. 

Association with the cultured and intelligent 
class of men and women exerts its influence in 
the proper direction. One may absorb a cer- 
tain degree of magnetism by contact with well- 
bred people. Such a force of personality is 
invaluable. 

It produces confidence; it breaks the chains 
of fear and discontent; it makes life worth 
while and sweetens the rewards of the suc- 
cess that is sure to come. 

Personal influence is a keynote to the char- 
acter of an individual, and character is a big 
stepping stone to success. 

Character is man's own bank account of 
good will. It is the finished product of cor- 
rect living. 

Life is not a stage where we hear the per- 
fection of Paderewski's piano playing. It is 
a piano factory where there are shavings and 
raspings and machinery, with its noise and 
grease, dust and dirt. The finished instrument 



PERSONAL MAGNETISM. 129 

and the perfect music are the results of thous- 
ands of different thoughts and actions. 

Personal magnetism is first created by the 
influence of self. One cannot exert any great 
amount of influence over others until he knows 
how to influence his own self. 

The direction of self as regards direct or 
reflex influence with others is commonly 
known as the "personal atmosphere." 

Your "personal atmosphere" is determined 
by the development of self through the con- 
scious direction of the thought forces. 

A vivid example of personal influence is 
found in the pages of history. We remem- 
ber the account of Napoleon's army in the 
East at the time of the plague. Men were 
lying on cots all around the camp, while others 
stretched themselves on the ground in the open 
places. Men were being stricken, one after 
another, and a great fear pervaded the camp. 
Napoleon learned all and, despite the urgent 
protest of his counsel, he went down into the 
very ranks of the sick, facing what seemed 
certain death. With a calm face, jaws set with 
determination, he went into the camp of 
plague-stricken men. He talked to them kind- 
ly and touched them with gentleness and 
without fear. In a flash his magnetic good 

(9) 



130 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

cheer spread throughout the ranks and a 
mighty shout went up — "The Emperor! The 
Emperor !" 

From that hour conditions grew better and 
the plague was soon stamped out. Napoleon 
was one of the grandest examples of a man 
endowed with a mighty and tremendous mag- 
netic influence and power of will that the 
world has ever seen. 

The essentials, then, of a true, powerful 
magnetic personality include the qualities of 
self-control, firm belief, enthusiasm, confi- 
dence, pleasing dress and manners and influen- 
tial sincerity. 

The following suggestions may seem sim- 
ple enough to give, and in a sense they are 
simple to do; but they will tax the persever- 
ance to the utmost to carry out. Read them 
over carefully and earnestly each day for 
a week or ten days, or until they have been 
firmly fixed in mind: 

1. Always look for the best in others. 

2. Avoid continual criticism and sarcasm; 
when developed it becomes "mud-slinging." 

3. Be cool in the face of unjust criticism 
from a fellow ; let him betray his weaknesses 
when he shows anger, envy and jealousy. 

4. Never repeat unpleasant things you 



PERSONAL MAGNETISM. 131 

have heard about another. Much of life's un- 
happiness is caused by false rumors. 

5. When telling another a piece of "bad 
news" tell it as a well-wisher and never say 
"I told you so." 

6. Never jump at conclusions. Weigh 
everything carefully. In society and business, 
prosperity and good-will are often sacrificed 
by premature actions. 

7. Never take to heart the adverse counsel 
of friends. More men have gone to the wall 
in financial ruin • more families have been 
broken up ; more outright misery caused by 
listening to "friendly advice" than any other 
thing in the world. Often the judgment of 
friends is misjudgment; often it is intentional 
adverse advice. Be master of your own mind 
and always weigh outside "advice" as mere 
opinions. Make the logical conclusion, then 
stick to it. 

8. W T hen conversing, let the other fellow 
do most of the talking. Then when you speak 
you will command instant attention. Speak 
in a firm, convincing tone, not too loud. Make 
it a habit to look the other in the eye. Do 
not stare. The eyes are "the windows of the 
soul" and the effects of personal magnetism 
are caused mainly through the contact of eyes. 



132 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

Strive to throw out magnetism in your speech 
and looks. Just be plain, cordial and con- 
vincing. Be at ease and always ready to ex- 
tend the glad hand and give the good cheer 
smile. 

Such things are not "mush" as some may 
think. They are the root of personal influence 
and personal influence has brought prosperity, 
good cheer and contentment to thousands. 
The "grouch," "cynic" and "knocker" have 
their own world and no one has yet seen them 
meet with real success or achieve happiness 
and contentment. The milk of human kind- 
ness sours when they touch it. 

9. Don't boast about yourself, even though 
you have a right to do so. Let the other fel- 
low do it. Avoid the personal pronoun "I" as 
much as possible in conversation as well as in 
writing. People will soon notice it and their 
admiration for you will grow steadily. 

10. Never make a slurring joke that would 
hurt any other person. Make your criticisms 
outspoken and above board; confine jokes to 
good cheer and general humor. 

11. Never make scurrilous remarks or li- 
belous insinuations in conversation or on 
paper, especially the latter. Also never make 
threats. The writer has seen letters that were 



PERSONAL MAGNETISM. 133 

sent to business firms by well-meaning per- 
sons, setting forth offensive remarks and false 
accusations that were actually criminal in 
character. Such letters were written in anger. 
Every business house receives them, the gen- 
eral impression being that distance will pre- 
vent any "come back." But such is far from 
the truth. The stinging letter receives its 
sting- right in the character of the sender. The 



i & Ai fc> j 



business house receiving such a letter adjusts 
trie matter and the affair is forgotten with 
them, as modern business, no matter what the 
line, invariably shows a certain percentage of 
complaints and they count on and expect this 
percentage just as sure as they expect their 
percentage of profits. To them the matter is 
business. To the sender it is one of personal 
character. 

Just complaints, courteously worded, are 
necessary with most of us, but the scurrilous 
letter is inexcusable and leaves traces that are 
difficult to erase. The threatening letter is 
even worse. It is criminal, besides being plain 
blackmail. 

The ordinary reader would be astounded if 
he knew the number of such letters sent 
through the mails daily. "If you don't do so- 
and-so I'll do this and that to make you suf- 



134 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

fer" is the substance of such matter; the ma- 
jority of which is sent by well-meaning, re- 
spectable, ought-to-know-better people. The 
threat is the trade-mark of a coward. The 
"get even" feeling is like a boomerang hurled 
at an enemy, likely to come back and strike 
you when you least expect it. 

Blackmailers play their infamous game 
through threats. In the showdown the man 
who makes a threat is always weakened by 
the fact that he made a threat. Hot-headed- 
ness and the get-even-with-you disposition 
wreaks ruin on the character of any man or 
woman. It never pays. When magnified, it 
leads to murder. Fight for honor; fight for 
goodness and that which is right, but never 
seek trouble by threatening another. Men 
and women can often be judged better by 
what they say on paper than by word of 
mouth. Writing is often an index to an indi- 
vidual's character. A man can't very well be 
a hypocrite on paper. A safe rule to follow is : 
Be very careful what you write. 

12. Make no definite promise to do a thing 
without knowing that it is entirely possible 
and probable that you can do it. Then do as 
promised. 

13. If you make a misstatement, or know 



PERSONAL MAGNETISM. 135 

that you are in the wrong, say so plainly and 
promptly. Such frankness will command the 
highest esteem. 

1-1. Gain the views of others ; this is an 
education in itself. 

15. Never lower yourself by humiliation. 
Firmness and dignity can go hand and hand 
with cordiality. 

16. Do a kindness whenever possible. It 
will bring you true pleasure and happiness. 

17. Study human nature, carefully and 
systematically. It is a stepping stone to suc- 
cess. Many men have acquired fortunes by 
knowing human nature. Know the meaning 
of certain looks and actions. Know intuitively 
the likes and dislikes of others. The secret of 
personal magnetism is the ability to harmonise 
your own manner with that of your fellow. 

When you discover the needs of others, you 
mentally put yourself in their place and know 
just what to do or say to exert the greatest 
influence. 

18. When in argument never interrupt the 
other fellow. If he will not listen to your 
views he is not worth arguing with. 

19. Be honest, upright, modest and good- 
natured. Then the perfume of life will come 
to you sweeter than ever. 



136 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

20. Be sympathetic. Look for something 
good and worth while in everybody and every- 
thing. Make life worth while — every minute 
of it. Live, love and draw to yourself the 
fullness of peace, power and plenty, then re- 
flect these to others about you. 



SELF-EDUCATION 



True education is the knowledge of how to make 
the most of one's own self. 



The bump of knowledge is always the result of a 
very hard whack from the hammer of experience. 



Perseverance is the senior member of the firm of 
Success & Co. 




CHAPTER VIII 

SSLF-EDUCATION 

DUCATION cannot be better de- 

Eir scribed," says Professor James, 
yj "than by calling it the organiz- 
ation of acquired habits of con- 
duct and tendencies to behavior." 

Education is a matter of time, application 
and patience. It is absorbing the acquired 
experience of others and self, and is a neces- 
sity to true living and success. 

Education through self - application and 
study is possible with any normal man or 
woman who has learned to use the three great 
instruments of mental culture — reading, ob- 
serving, thinking. After one has acquired the 
rudiments he may go on by the momentum ob- 
tained and gain an astonishing amount of use- 
ful knowledge. 

Many ambitious people are prevented 
through lack of money, opportunity or time 
from pursuing a college or university course. 
The manner in which certain institutions of 
higher learning disperse knowledge, requir- 



140 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

ing the studying of courses which would tend 
to be useless and practically a waste of time, 
also bars out thousands who desire to spe- 
cialize. 

Education by self has been criticised by the 
teaching fraternity as illogical and inaccurate, 
the idea being that the experienced teacher 
only who has labored in acquiring a great fund 
of knowledge along a particular line is com- 
petent to teach the inexperienced, and that self- 
teaching is much more laborious and uncer- 
tain. However true this may be in some 
instances, it has been proven by the experience 
of every "self-made" man and woman that the 
only real lasting education is that which is 
acquired through genuine interest, coupled 
with hard work. 

That which is earned by enjoyment in work 
is more to be appreciated than that which is 
given, and the same applies to education. Many 
attend college with the idea of "cramming" 
their brain with a certain amount of knowl- 
edge within a given time. Others study in- 
dustriously to pass examinations and receive 
a diploma as an ultimate reward, the idea be- 
ing that the world will look with favor upon 
the man or woman who holds a college 
diploma. 



SELF-EDUCATION. 141 

In business, however, some employers are 
going to the other extreme and are looking 
with disfavor upon the "college-bred" man, 
because they say he is too "high-browish" and, 
of course, has had no practical business train- 
ing. 

The age is intensely practical. The span of 
the average lifetime covers but a few years, 
and it is natural that progress should dictate 
specialization in education, at an early age. 

One does not begin with desert when eating 
a meal. In education, fancy knowledge, es- 
thetic culture, should be left, in the main, until 
later in life when it can really be more fully 
appreciated. This does not mean drudgery, 
dullness and hard work throughout youth. 
Far from it. Youth is the age of fiery ambi- 
tions and fearlessness. It looks ever into the 
future. Life then should be one of prepara- 
tion, one of systematic growth, but always 
flavored with natural enjoyments of mind and 
body, esthetic culture and other forms of re- 
laxation. 

It is the superfluous knowledge gained in an 
ordinary college education that the average 
business man objects to, and too little practical 
training. This condition has opened the great 
field for the business college, where young 



142 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

men and women are especially trained in the 
theory and practice of business methods. 

Self-education has its great advantage in 
the inherent individual characteristic which 
makes the selection of studies correspond with 
the line of work in which the individual is 
interested. 

One preparing for the career of a civil en- 
gineer would not be apt to have a liking for 
the Greek language, unless such a study was 
given attention sparingly as an "esthetic cul- 
ture." 

The man or woman who has the interest 
or determination to master a subject through 
his own efforts, is invariably rightly rewarded 
by the results which come later, as a natural 
sequence of a cause. 

Things that are self-mastered are not easily 
forgotten. A price has been paid for them — 
the price of application and hard work, there- 
fore they remain well fixed in the mind. 

Nothing has done more for education in 
this country than the correspondence school. 
Through this "long distance" method of edu- 
cation one is enabled to gain excellent knowl- 
edge and help, through logical methods, along 
practically any line of learning. Instruction 
by correspondence is a great time saver. It 



SELF-EDUCATION. 143 

promotes self-development and responsibility. 
It is systematic and enables one teacher to 
instruct hundreds, by the written word, which 
is a visual record as the study progresses. It 
means a much more concentrated and thorough 
training, because the written suggestions and 
corrections are before the student at any time, 
and he is enabled, by constant review, to grasp 
a great deal more than his brother in the 
class room who trusts to memory. 

It is a psychological fact that concentration 
is easier and more effective through the writ- 
ten word than by word of mouth. 

Learn by correspondence, if you haven't the 
facilities or time to go to college. It will pay 
anyone, and costs, both in time and tuition, 
will be less. Instruction by correspondence 
has made the road to success much easier and 
more interesting. 

Time is an important factor in self-educa- 
tion and self-development. Education should 
begin early and should early become a h-abit 
and, more than this, a habit of interest. 

Any limb on your body will soon become 
atrophied if it is not kept in active use. The 
same is true of the absorbing qualities of the 
mind. We have all heard the rather pitiable 
expression, "I used to learn easily years ago 



144 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

when I went to school, but I can't now, I've 
been away from study so long." 

To get the most out of life, one should be a 
student for life, not by cramming the brain 
with new matter every day in the week, but by 
a little study now and then, preferably daily, 
even for only ten or fifteen minutes. The 
whole thing soon becomes a habit, then it be- 
comes a pleasure and finally a necessity. 

Then flavor all practical study with a little 
of that which is esthetic. Take up music, art, 
language, or something that will develop your 
finer feelings and increase your general "cul- 
ture." 

The real education cannot be obtained by the 
hurried reading of books. Everything must 
be carefully absorbed, and that which is 
learned should be put into actual practice at the 
earliest opportunity. Effort is essential to any 
reward. 

The real worth of any instruction book is 
not in the facts and information set forth in 
that book, but in the valuable knowledge which 
will enable you to put the principles into oper- 
ation through yourself, bringing you many 
times the cost of the book. 

Careful selection of reading matter is es- 
sential in systematic education. There are 



SELF-EDUCATION. 145 

thousands and thousands of books and only a 
small percentage could be read through, even 
if a lifetime were devoted to them. Aimless 
reading causes more harm than good. The 
ordinary newspaper is read through at con- 
siderable expense of time. A few facts here 
and there may excite interest — the rest of the 
time is wasted in reading uninteresting head- 
lines. After all, when the paper is thrown 
aside, only a few points remain fixed in the 
mind. The others have entered and passed out 
as through a sieve. 

When you study and when you read, be con- 
siderate of your brain. Store up the thoughts 
for future use. What you put into your brain 
no man can take away from you. You may 
lose money, friends, health, but with a good 
brain you may bring them all back again. 

The value of education shows itself in what 
you do, what you achieve and how you help 
others. Merely knowing will not bring suc- 
cess. Knowledge itself is a dormant mental 
power. It's like a storage battery, full of 
energy, but out of use. 

True education is the ability to keep grow- 
ing; not for a little spurt of a few years in 
youth, but a lifetime of it. Make education 
a daily factor, like your eating. Grow up and 

(10) 



146 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

improve as you grow. Throw out the old 
fallacy that education is something for youth 
only. Get the education habit and the culture 
habit. Store up your mental battery and you 
will find it a veritable, never-failing God-send 
to you on the way to success. When your 
associates fall behind or lag by the wayside, 
you can forge ahead with plenty of energy, 
accurate knowledge and confidence. 

"Life is a search for power," says Emerson. 
There is no standing still on the life path. We 
are either going ahead or sliding backward. 

The gaining of useful knowledge soon be- 
comes a pleasure. It is as natural to exercise 
the brain as to exercise the body. The culture 
of the finer feelings, through the study of 
music, art or the study of a "hobby" is play 
for the brain, just as an interesting outdoor 
game is play for the body. 

Rusty brains cause thousands to fail, and 
these same thousands do not realize the ener- 
gies which they have lying dormant within 
them. They fail to make use of the energies 
easily within their reach. Yet they envy those 
who succeed, who gain wealth, prestige and 
happiness. Failure also comes to those who 
are so blinded by their own ideas, that they 
refuse to listen to advice, and continue right 



SELF-EDUCATION. 147 

along in the old rut. They could be likened 
to a motorist who, instead of utilizing- the 
power at hand from the machinery in his car, 
tries to push it along by his own puny strength. 

The difficulty with many is that they try 
to accomplish too much at one time, and are 
temporarily over-ambitious. Steady, constant 
endeavor will accomplish more than spasmodic 
spurts of ambition. The person who reads 
carefully and puts into earnest practice that 
which is read is the person who will taste of 
the fruits of success. 

No one can dispute the fact that the constant 
saving of a certain portion of one's earnings, 
together with the wise investment of it, will 
eventually bring a good income. Thousands 
of men have saved, invested wisely and ac- 
quired fortunes. It has been done and is 
being done. So it is that the gradual accumu- 
lation of useful knowledge through earnest 
effort will bring a wealth of stored up useful 
power. 

You may, perhaps, regret that you did not 
receive a university education when young, or 
that you can't afford the time and money to get 
one now. But either of such conditions need 
not bar you from succeeding and gaining 
what belongs to you in power and plenty. 



148 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

Furthermore, you can get the education you 
desire, the knowledge which will make you 
drive ahead, the power to do things, if you 
will but take a little time each day and use 
it systematically and properly. 

To do this may mean a turning point in 
your life. It may be the bridge from failure 
to success. It is the key with which many 
have unlocked the gate to success. 

The greatest and best thing you can do in 
the world is to raise your own value. By doing 
this your thoughts and acts can but influence 
those about you. And your worth to the world 
and the standard on which your success is 
based, will be governed by the degree of ser- 
vice that you render to your fellows. The 
worth of your service will depend on the worth 
of yourself. 

Age is no barrier to self-education. In- 
stead of letting discouragement creep in be- 
cause the opportunities of youth slipped by, 
adults should begin self-development, use a 
part of the daily "spare time" which every 
one has, and forge ahead with fuller power 
in some particular vocation. 

To avoid the not uncommon habit of read- 
ing something and immediately forgetting it, 
the author has embodied in the following a 



SELF-EDUCATION. 149 

few important suggestions regarding the 
proper method to pursue in self study. They 
are, perhaps, easier to give than follow and may 
seem too plain to mention, but the systematic 
practice of them cannot fail to show its results : 

1. In reading, do not memorize, but think 
the idea gained, in your own language. 

2. A fair idea of the contents of a book 
may be obtained by reading the title and 
table of contents. 

3. Read the introduction. The author 
probably wrote it last, but it was put first for 
a purpose. Many fail to thoroughly under- 
stand a book because they do not take the 
trouble to read the introduction, or preface. 

4. Read the first twenty-five pages care- 
fully. This much should be sufficient to excite 
your interest. It is a very excellent plan to 
read a paragraph carefully. Then close the 
eyes for an instant and frame mentally the 
idea or ideas gained in your own language. 
Avoid reading a paragraph and forgetting its 
contents. It's a common practice, due to lack 
of proper concentration and interest, and 
forces the brain to act as a mere sieve. 

Repeat this operation earnestly and it will 
soon become a fixed habit, whereby you can 
read quickly and absorb the meaning of the 



150 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

book quickly. When you run across a new 
word, find out its meaning at once. 

5. Use imagination in all reading. Bring 
to mind a mental image of the idea or action 
described by the author. Concentrate on the 
matter in hand, and never try to hurry through 
to get it off your hands. Absorb every idea 
possible and put it safely away in your mental 
storehouse. 

Correct, careful reading and study will 
bring added personal power which in time 
can be used to endless advantage in every 
walk through life. 



ENEMIES OF SUCCESS 



Beware of the friend who eats your food and 
slyly kicks your dog. 



To my mind the most despicable human being in 
the world is one who tries to smear the good name of 
a successful man with the muddy slime of his own 
jealousy. 



The trouble with the boomerang you send out 
against an enemy is that it will fly back and hit you at 
a time when you are most defenseless to meet it. 



CHAPTER IX 

ENEMIES OF SUCCESS 

HE things that hold men down, the 

T%\j things that keep success from 
\\ your grasp ; the things that bring 
you poverty and "bad luck" in- 
stead of wealth; the things that 
turn happiness and health away from you — 
what are they? The enemies of success, for 
like everything else, success has its negative 
elements ever working their way to produce 
failure. 

If success were attained without effort, if 
it were a natural condition, there would be 
no failures and there would be nothing to 
strive for, nothing to gain, all would be inertia. 

Life is a fight, a worth while battle, but 
mainly with the elements in one's own self. 
An understanding of self, with all its moods, 
possibilities and powers, is the first step to- 
wards self-achievement. But more than this 
is the self-driving power which must be gen- 
erated and put to use if maximum results are 
desired. 



154 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

Success comes first to those who believe; 
to those who believe in self and in pluck rather 
than luck. 

Thousands fail because they are afraid — 
they are afraid to grasp opportunity; they are 
afraid to take a higher step; they are afraid 
to believe and have faith in those who would 
help them to success or a greater success. 
They sneer at the ideas of others; they sneer 
at those in prosperity and power, attributing 
their condition to "luck" or "pull/' They lack 
faith in their powers, but most of all, they do 
not know and never will realize that they have 
zvonderful powers stored up; lying dormant 
right in themselves. 

Fear is the first in the category of enemies 
to success. 

Fear has been with man since the dawn of 
the world. He used to fear the workings of 
nature, the weird sound of the wind in the 
forest trees, the shadows of the moonlight, 
the vastness of the sea, but centuries of rea- 
soning have brought him understanding. Yet 
today there are thousands of men and women 
held down by fear — fear of self; fear of cir- 
cumstances; fear of others; fear of disease; 
fear of death; fear of failure. 

Real fear is a species of imagination, for 



ENEMIES OF SUCCESS. 155 

it is the act of proceeding mentally, concern- 
ing that which is not known to exist. Reason, 
often in the form of warning, is misunderstood 
as fear. You say "I'm afraid of the water, 
because, should I fall overboard, I would 
drown, as I do not know how to swim." And 
you do not fear danger, but know it when 
you see the sign "Stop, Look and Listen" be- 
fore crossing a railroad track. In both in- 
stances reason warns you and you are cau- 
tious, but it is not fear. 

Exaggeration of these warnings will result 
in a fear, and it is only through reason that 
the conditions can be viewed as normal. 

Worry is fear strongly exemplified as a 
product of imagination. 

It is possible to write a whole volume on 
the subject of fear and courage; in fact some 
men have attempted the feat, but such a work 
would be preponderous, impractical and of 
real value only to psychologists or students 
on this subject. The mastery and destruction 
of fear is a simple matter if the proper methods 
are followed in logical sequence. 

When all the qualities of fear are examined, 
they divide into three distinct classes: 

1. Fear of self. 

2. Fear of others. 



156 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

3. Fear of circumstance. 

The fear of one's own self embodies the 
qualities of lack of confidence (faith), unbe- 
lief and prediction of failure. 

The only sure way to overcome lack of con- 
fidence is to persistently declare to one's self, 
"I am confident" "I am sure I can do it and 
I'm going to do it." Persistent practice of 
the reasoning- powers will accomplish wonders 
in this respect. Make the following assertion 
whenever you are confronted with a feeling 
of fear as regards lack of confidence in self: 

"/ am a human being. I am part of the 
Universe. I have mind, therefore I have 
power. All things exist for all beings that 
are. I am one and am entitled to part of all. 
I can accomplish, in fair reason, whatever I 
ought to do. Therefore I am doing so with 
my own power!" 

Try to banish forever the thoughts : "I'm 
afraid I can't do that," "I wish I could, but 
I'm afraid to try it." All this may seem 
foolish to the common-sense reader. But re- 
sults have proven that it is not. A simple for- 
mula like the above, such a thought-germ re- 
peated over and over again will, in time, make 
a permanent impression. Confidence! 

Confidence in all that one undertakes is a 



ENEMIES OF SUCCESS. 157 

stepping stone to success. If you lack confi- 
dence in anything that you truly desire, turn 
to yourself and do not weaken. Reason that 
what you desire belongs to you. Reason that 
you are as good as others and that you are 
qualified. Resolve that you have power and 
confidence. Go in with a strong determina- 
tion to accomplish. Take a firm grasp and 
with confidence in front you can push your 
way to success. 

Never let the past mar the future. To be 
true, that is easier said than done. But the 
fear that the future will develop as the past, 
has been the cause of countless failures. 

You may have met with failure through 
some mistake (failure is always a mistake) and 
you are afraid to proceed for fear you will 
meet failure again. In doing so you actually 
invite failure — your belief is failure and not 
success. Therefore you will be correspond- 
ingly weakened so that you expect failure — 
and you will probably get it. This one trait, 
so common to many of us, is one of the bit- 
terest enemies to success. Believe that you 
are going to fail and you are actually making 
preparation for failure. 

Let the past alone — try to forget it. As- 
sume confidence; resolve that failure is im- 



158 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

possible this time. Bring to mind that every- 
one, without a single exception, has met fail- 
ures of different kinds. You are not different. 
Bring to mind the great principle: Failure, 
in some degree, has been a feature of all suc- 
cesses. Therefore, cultivate the confidence that 
success is possible, is rightful, is for you. 

Banish fear of self. Fear grows only on 
fear. 

Fear of others is also a product of imagi- 
nation. It comes from without rather than 
from within. Here the mind misinterprets 
the circumstances that exist around the per- 
sonal element and magnifies and twists the 
results of certain probable or possible activi- 
ties. 

Are you afraid of people? Are you afraid 
of their actions? 

The first step in the conquering of such a 
fear is to assume an attitude of reason : "Why 
am I afraid? Why do I fear the actions of 
others ?" Put the mind in a state of interroga- 
tion, then affirm to self with full force of de- 
termination : 

"I am myself, like any other, a part of the 
Whole. Therefore I am in perfect harmony; 
I fear no one in such harmony, and I am full 
master of my will." 



ENEMIES OF SUCCESS. 159 

Make such an affirmation repeatedly; as- 
sume a strong, egotistical attitude in order to 
thoroughly master this condition of fear of 
others. It is better to grow egotistical and 
conquer, because an ego may be curbed easier 
than a fear eradicated. 

The following is a really wonderful and 
powerful exercise if it is earnestly and con- 
scientiously practiced : 

When meeting another, especially one of 
whom you feel an uncomfortable fear, clasp 
his hand firmly, but kindly. Meet his gaze 
eye for eye, and strive to assume an attitude 
of perfect equilibrium and confidence. Flash 
the thought through your mind : "I am exactly 
as good as you are. You cannot really harm 
me. I do not fear you in the slightest." This 
one series of thoughts persistently practiced 
will positively accomplish wonderful results. 

Fear of circumstances is the result of as- 
sociating future events, either probable or pos- 
sible, with similar events known to have hap- 
pened in the past. 

Fear of events produces that common form 
of exaggerated imagination in the wrong 
channel, known as worry. 

You are afraid to do such a thing because 
you are afraid it will result in something un- 



160 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

desirable. Or, being uncertain as to the course 
of future events, you aim to choose the un- 
desirable, as the probable result and magnify 
this condition through the aid of imagination. 

People who lack imagination very seldom 
worry. 

Worry is the greatest enemy to success and 
happiness, which not only retards the progress 
of otherwise normal men and women, but ac- 
tually strikes them down by the hundreds 
every year. Worry kills by nervous strain 
and forces the mental equipment to collapse. 
It robs the mind of its natural resisting pow- 
ers and eats in like a poisonous cancer. 

Stop zvorrying! But begin by knowing ex- 
actly how to do it. 

Most people actually worry unconsciously 
and "give in" to the practice, simply because 
they consider it a part of their own personali- 
ty, incapable of eradication or improvement. 

To overcome the worry habit one should not 
allow the mind to wander. The common prac- 
tices of recreation, study, etc., are merely in- 
direct methods of achieving the same end. 
The object is to divert the mind. But the 
will power itself is a surer, stronger force than 
this. 

When troubled by worry, stop immediately 



ENEMIES OF SUCCESS. 161 

to carefully analyze the matter. Don't allow 
the mind to jump into the future ; hold it to the 
present. 

Consider with the utmost degree of pains- 
taking care every phase and angle of the mat- 
ter in hand. 

If you can deduce the future accurately, 
prepare for it coolly as a matter of fact. 
Worry would be useless. 

If you are uncertain of the future, bring 
to the mind the most desirable possibilities. 

If a friend has embarked on a railroad jour- 
ney and you have been informed a short time 
later that the floods have washed out the road- 
bed in certain localities, don't worry and 
imagine that a calamity will occur. Conquer 
the wrong by imagining exactly the opposite, 
which would be just as probable. Imagine 
firmly, in this case, that the roadbed was only 
slightly damaged and the train merely slowed 
down in places, eventually arriving at its des- 
tination in perfect safety. 

In other words, master this and firmly be- 
lieve and follow it : When zvorry sets in, 
imagine only the best that is in the realm of 
possibility. - 

IMMORAL HABITS. 

As cited previously a large portion of our 
(11) 



162 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

thoughts and actions are the result of habit. 
The term "habit" is very often misconstrued 
as meaning something "evil" or immoral. 
Habits may be good and bad. Good habits 
should be cultivated and enlarged while those 
that are detrimental and immoral should be 
obliterated. 

Any act becomes a habit when it is re- 
peated often enough or until it becomes a part 
of sub-conscious activity. 

Immoral habits are, then, formed by the 
continual repetition of acts which are con- 
sidered by the majority as "immoral," or that 
which is in opposition to health, mental growth 
and moral development. 

Habits that are immoral are first acted con- 
sciously as a means to a certain end. The 
causes are many and it is the purpose here to 
suggest the logical destruction of such habits, 
rather than to elucidate their probable causes. 

1. Exaggeration. Exaggeration in any 
form is a species of lying. Mark Twain tells 
us that there are eight hundred and sixty- 
nine kinds of liars. Mrs. Opie, who has made 
a study of the subject, classifies lies into the 
following : 

Lies of vanity. 
Lies of fear. 



ENEMIES OF SUCCESS. 163 

Lies of flattery. 

Lies of convenience. 

Lies of interest. 

Lies of malignity. 

Lies of malevolence. 

Lies of wantonness. 
But whatever the classification, it remains 
that in each case there is an exaggeration from 
the truth, made either consciously or uncon- 
sciously. 

The man or woman who deliberately states 
or tells that which is known to be false, cannot, 
be excused from condemnation. However, 
there are milder forms of lying which be- 
come habit by oft repeating exaggerations 
about persons or things. When such a habit; 
is formed there is really no intention to lie. 
A lively imagination and a high-strung tem- 
perament will likely induce one to clothe state- 
ments about people or things with colors and 
ornamentations which do not exist. There is 
the habit of unconsciously stating opinions to 
be facts. 

Accurate thinking and speaking will de- 
stroy the habit of exaggeration. 

When you make a statement, know that 
what you write or say explains the truth of the 
matter as near as is possible. Don't color it, 



164 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

even in jest or for amusement. Few people 
really intend to lie. They are usually well- 
meaning and color and exaggerate matters for 
convenience, for added interest, or to avoid the 
shock of exposing the "naked" truth. Exag- 
geration is liable to become a habit when in- 
dulged in repeatedly, and besides being looked 
upon with disfavor, is often the cause of sub- 
sequent serious complications, in business and 
socially. 

2. Profanity. The use of immoral lan- 
guage produces no benefit to the user or hearer. 
It pollutes a respectable atmosphere ; it is un- 
necessary; it is a sure mark of low breeding. 
Therefore banish it. Ordinary will power, 
coupled with the realisation that the habit is 
demoralizing, will banish the practice in a few 
weeks, unless it has become a deeply rooted 
habit. If you mix "swear" words with nearly 
everything you say, you are virtually building 
an iron wall around you through which no 
real success will ever penetrate. The habit, 
when developed to this degree, will be dif- 
ficult to "break," but it can be done by the 
following, firmly and persistently practiced : 
(a) resolving to abolish the practice, both in 
private and public; (b) by carefulness and 
slowness in speech; (c) by concentration and 



ENEMIES OF SUCCESS. 165 

will power. However, the fight against pro- 
fanity will be three-fourths over when the 
individual thoroughly realizes that the prac- 
tice is useless and detrimental to success and 
progress. 

3. Slander. Slander is the weapon of the 
coward and the weakling. It is striking an 
adversary in the dark, and it always has its 
"comeback." Some people get the impression 
that they can achieve success by slandering 
others, or that they can injure others by slan- 
der. Nothing could be farther from the truth. 
Anger prompts slander, so does jealousy. Peo- 
ple will write a business house or an individual, 
using slanderous insinuations in the hopes of 
"getting even" or gaining some point. The 
slanderer, the "knocker," the mud-slinger who 
aims to gain by smearing the character of 
others by word of mouth or pen, is despised in 
business and ejected from society. The 
worthy, who are aiming for the best in life, 
should avoid, as poison, the contaminating in- 
fluence of slander. 

4. Anger. Anger denotes lack of self-con- 
trol. An overstrung, nervous condition will 
often aggravate anger. If the ailment is phy- 
sical it should be so treated. But anger, and 
the propensity to become irritated and angry 



166 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

at the slightest provocation, is mainly the re- 
sult of lack of self-control developed into a 
habit. 

The habit may be cured by cultivating self- 
control. Realize that anger does not pay, and 
that it is more harmful to you than to any- 
one else. When you feel a wave of anger ap- 
proaching — stop immediately and divert the 
mind into another channel. Laugh, if you 
can; at least force a smile and dismiss the 
matter until "cooled down." Never decide 
anything when in a state of anger. 

In everything you see or do, strive to find 
the sunny side, cultivate the cheery disposition, 
absorb the pleasing and let the disagreeable 
pass by. No man ever achieved happiness or 
success by cultivating irritability, sarcasm and 
cynicism. 

5. Liquor and Tobacco Habits. When the 
habits are firmly fixed they will remain so, 
unless there is a desire to abolish them and 
the proper methods are persistently pursued. 
But the liquor and tobacco habits are essential- 
ly the result of a physical craving. If one 
has either habit and desires to continue, no 
power on earth can stop it. 

These habits are detrimental to success, to 
good living, to happiness, when the habits are 



ENEMIES OF SUCCESS. 167 

the result of excessive indulgence. They im- 
pair the mind, ruin the health and blunt the 
moral qualities. These facts cannot be hon- 
estly disputed by anyone and will be acknowl- 
edged as true, especially by those who "are 
slaves to the use of liquor or tobacco." 

Neither habit can be cured, or even partially 
cured, until the desire is replaced by a deter- 
mination to abstain. The realization that 
drink is ruining his business, is keeping him 
away from opportunity, is robbing him of 
success, is causing untold misery to himself 
and those about him, will cause some men to 
muster their will power forces for a deter- 
mined fight. The taste of success and the re- 
wards of abstinence will very often keep the 
drinker in a safe channel. Good health, good 
environments and plenty to do, will aid In 
the cause. A good memory, setting forth the 
results of past indulgences, will often prove 
a strong barrier against temptation. 

The power of mind can accomplish more in 
many cases than all the physician's "cures" 
combined. 

Eat good, plain food, keep thoroughly busy, 
and put tobacco and liquor out of sight. Feel 
a satisfaction in abstinence. Feel the thrill 



168 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

of joy in additional accomplishments and get 
a firm grip on the rewards of success. 

Think of yourself as a "slave to a habit," 
then thoroughly despise such a condition. Feel 
that many others, following the paths of suc- 
cess and prosperity will also despise you, and 
that they will not pity or sympathize with you. 
Feel that you must refrain from further in- 
dulgence. Picture a better future and abhor 
the miseries of the past. Think, concentrate 
and become determined. Don't depend on 
others in the least. Almost nothing is im~ 
possible to an iron determination! 

OTHER BAD HABITS. 

1. Vulgarity. The use of vulgarity in 
speech, writing, dress or acts, causes repulsion 
in business, society and personality. Slang in 
speech is quite common and simply denotes 
lack of care. How pleasing it is to converse 
with one who is careful in the choice of words ! 

Vulgarity in dress, for the purpose of attrac- 
tion, is an outward sign of an inward tendency. 
Men are quite likely to judge a woman by her 
manner of dress. If she is a lady of refine- 
ment and modesty, it is but the height of 
foolishness to dress like a woman of the streets. 



ENEMIES OF SUCCESS. 169 

When "style" overbalances modesty and pro- 
motes vulgarity in dress, it is not good style. 

"Actions speak louder than words," says an 
old adage. And so they do. 

Politeness of manner, courtesy at every 
time and a pleasing personality are attributes 
which have carried many to power and plenty. 
They are little things, but lack of them often 
keeps one just this side of the success line. 
Avoid vulgarity in any form. 

2. Thoughtlessness is a "bad" habit com- 
mon to many. It is simply lack of concentra- 
tion and memory. The habit should be mas- 
tered, as it is a stumbling-block to progress. 
The training of the memory will count and the 
following suggestions will help : 

(a) Concentrate on one thing at a time. 
Before you allow yourself to proceed with 
another task, ask yourself, "Have I completed 
this ?" Keep at one thing until it is completed 
to your entire satisfaction. It will make you 
thoughtful and accurate. 

(b) Avoid "day dreaming" when at work. 
Imagination is a good thing and a wonderful 
mental stimulus to achievement, but when it is 
associated with work, it produces carelessness 
and thoughtlessness. 

(c) Form the habit of "obeying your own 



170 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

orders." When you plan to do a certain thing 
at a certain time, try to do it as planned. Avoid 
forgetfulness and strive for accuracy. 

These will "tone up" your manner of work 
and mode of living and bring you greater 
personal power. 

3. Egotism. The Devil always smiles when 
he can put egotism into a man or woman. The 
overbalanced Ego, the excessive "I am" has 
literally ruined the promising career of many. 
The "I-know-it-aH" kind of a person sooner 
or later stumbles down and, in most cases, is 
unable to get up. 

Conceit kills opportunity, stifles ambition 
and frightens away success. 

The man who carries himself around with 
an air of great concern ; who refuses to listen 
to advice or proffered help; who believes that 
he has been endowed with super God-given 
qualities of mind and body, and looks upon 
others as his inferiors ; who thinks that success 
is only a matter of applying his own superior 
talents, and who scorns the ideas of others 
who are better informed and more competent — 
such a man is indeed a pitiable object. But 
there are many such, either from erroneous 



ENEMIES OF SUCCESS. 171 

training in childhood or from acquired 
thoughts and acts. 

Dignity is an adjunct to respectability. It 
is to be desired and can be attained. 

Conceit is a cloak of exaggerated dignity 
worn by one who is top-heavy in ego. 

It brings failure ; creates a feeling of repul- 
sion and is the slow poison that eventually 
grips its victim. 

Conceited people fail because they count too 
much on their own ability. It is not merely 
the feeling of confidence, but the actual ex- 
hibition of superior ability that makes such 
people uninteresting and causes them to be 
outcast by business or society. 

The man who possesses an over-developed 
ego and doesn't know it, has a chance to 
make good; but the man who prides himself 
because he is conceited is only preparing his 
own downfall. 

The only remedy for overbalanced egotism 
is the true realization of it and its effects. 

Truths are often unspoken and few people 
will affront you and inform you that you are 
too conceited. They either pity or scorn and, 
keep their thoughts in silence. 



172 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

Those troubled with this weakness may rem- 
edy it completely just as soon as they assume 
a more humble attitude, yield more to pride, 
and listen earnestly and attentively to the 
ideas of others. 

4. Indecision. We all know those who lose 
opportunities, who fail to make as much money 
as others, far less capable, and who lose it all 
for want of prompt decision. The common 
habit, exemplified in the conventional expres- 
sion, "Oh, I'll do that tomorrow," is often the 
secret of failure and slow progress. 

In everything pertaining to personal better- 
ment, prompt decision and accurate decision 
are habits that should be cultivated. Such 
doesn't mean haste or lack of deliberate con- 
sideration. Most of the good things missed 
in life are not due to lack of judgment, but 
to indecision. 

Good judgment convinces one that he ought 
to invest a certain sum of money, for instance, 
in something that will be for his own benefit, 
but for various reasons — procrastination, fear, 
lack of initiative, and so on — instead of grasp- 
ing the opportunity presented and promptly 
making the particular investment which has 
every indication of being a good one, a worth 



ENEMIES OF SUCCESS. 173 

while one, that person will hunt for excuses, 
will magnify possible failures, will look for 
and imagine all sorts of ''ill luck" to follow. 

The man who never "takes a chance" is an 
impossibility. Every minute of life is a chance. 
Everyone of us plays with Death wherever we 
are, whether on the street, at home, or travel- 
ing. There are a thousand and one chances of 
injury or death at every turn, and these beyond 
calculation or judgment. 

One day a man on the twentieth floor of a 
Broadway office building opened the window 
and placed a paper weight on some paper on 
the sill. Sometime later, the draft, caused by 
the opening of an adjoining door, blew the 
papers out, carrying the paper weight, which 
fell below, striking a passer-by on the top 
of the head and killing him instantly. 

Chance is a peculiar thing, yet it would 
seem that the majority of people prefer to take 
chances with their own life, before they would 
do so with their money. - 

One secret of wealth is the careful invest- 
ment of money when the opportunity presents 
itself. The man who goes out into the busi- 
ness marts and proclaims, "I have a hundred 



174 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

dollars and I want to invest it," is running 
chances. If he makes a careful study of con- 
ditions his investment will probably prove suc- 
cessful. If he waits and, after missing a few 
good opportunities, plunges his hundred into 
the "next best" thing, he is inviting failure and 
will likely reap the price of indecision. 

Today is the day of opportunity. Never 
before have the opportunities — real, solid and 
promising — been as numerous. The people of 
prosperity and power of the future are today 
making their investments, small ones or large 
ones, materially and mentally. 

A good investment in anything that will 
add to one's mental equipment will pay a large 
rate of interest throughout a lifetime. It is 
put into the mind where it can't get out and 
will prove a living asset in personal power. It 
is with just this idea that this book has been 
written: That an investment in mind is an 
investment paying good dividends for life. 

Each one of us must have money, must earn 
it and use it. And each one of us must have 
personal power, peace and happiness in order 
to get the most out of life. Any opportunity 
to make more money or any opportunity to 
increase one's personal power should be given 
careful attention. 



ENEMIES OF SUCCESS. 175 

Have faith in self and cultivate judgment 
and quick decision. Have faith in others who 
show the intelligence and experience to com- 
mand your faith. 

Face the world with your own powers and 
decide on anything that will benefit you. 

Banish forever the habit of indecision. 



MIND AND SENSE CULTURE 



(12) 



The man is free who is neither tyrant nor slave; 
who enjoys equally with his fellowmen and who 
stands under the great flag of Nature. 



Some people play the game of life only to draw the 
booby prize at last. 



TRUTH : The clustered grape in the valley of 
desolation. 




CHAPTER X 

MIND AND S£NS£ CULTURE: 

liz^ft* HE exercises which are suggested 
in this chapter may seem to be 
unduly tedious and elaborate. 
They are given, however, be- 
cause the earnest practice of 
them can but influence and develop the func- 
tions to which they pertain. 

Concentrated effort through intelligent ex- 
ercise of the mental functions and sense organs 
is a stepping stone to success. 

The fundamentals of drill are too well 
known to need elaborate explanation. There 
are certain points, however, which cannot be 
too strongly impressed. The first of these is : 
1. Expectancy. Any exercise becomes an 
enjoyable undertaking when one throws him- 
self into it with the expectation that some real 
benefit will be derived. 

Exercising of the mind is just as important 
(perhaps more so) as exercising and nourish- 
ing the body. It has, however, been woefully 
neglected in education and the matter has been 
given little thought with the majority. 



180 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

It may be truly said here that the proper 
and persistent exercise of the mental functions 
is one of the "secrets" which compels success 
and power. The letters and private informa- 
tion from those who have achieved greatness 
and power, prove that this is true. 

The "secret" of success is really no secret; 
merely the understanding of natural personal 
power, together with the development and 
practice of it. 

When you have power, you can feel power ; 
if you haven't it you can acquire it. The man 
who strives for success expects it. He is con- 
fident. He doesn't labor by guess-work. He 
puts aside mere theory and expects definite re- 
sults. 

There is no such success as a theoretical 
success. 

Expectancy brings inspiration. It makes 
exercise of mind less tiresome, less tedious. 
And when the mood is especially developed 
all endeavor becomes a working pleasure. 

Before you begin any exercise enter into 
the mood of expectancy. Never attempt an 
exercise merely to "get through with it." Ab- 
sorb all the benefit there is in it. 

Some exercises may seem foolish, may seem 
even ridiculous. First analyze the purpose 



MIND AND SENSE CULTURE. 181 

of any exercise. Then look forward with 
pleasurable expectancy to the result. 

2. Secondary Influences of Drill. It is a 
fact, the cause of which is little known, that 
the exercise of one mental function zuill in- 
directly influence and develop another. This 
is true with everyone and follows clearly the 
same condition which exists in bodily develop- 
ment. If one exercised the right arm for a 
certain period, it would be found by actual 
tests that, although the left arm would not be 
exercised at all, it would actually gain in 
strength from one-fourth to one-third, as com- 
pared with the right one. The same applies to 
mental development through drill. The devel- 
opment of one faculty will increase others 
automatically, in a degree capable of being 
noticed when comparisons are made. This 
principle, in itself, should be an inspiration to 
drill. 

3. Observation. A keen sense of percep- 
tion can be acquired through intelligent and 
systematic effort. The result of anything can- 
not be comprehended until the faculty of ob- 
servation is well developed. Some people can 
hear, feel and see things where others cannot. 
To know and feel the progress and develop- 
ment in one's self is to possess a valuable and 



182 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

inspiring function of mind. It is inner per- 
ception, observation. It is a mental barometer 
which exists to register the inner changes in 
personal power. 

4. System. All exercises, to be effectual, 
must be followed systematically. Every stroke 
should count toward the ultimate end. Such 
effort is always rewarded. The line between 
success and failure is often merely a matter 
of more systematic effort. 

If one should offer you several thousand dol- 
lars for working systematically a few weeks 
or months, you would be inspired, would un- 
doubtedly bend every power you possessed to 
accomplish it, and with the reward in view you 
would probably achieve it. 

On the other hand, if you could firmly be- 
lieve and see with the same power of observa- 
tion the rewards that would come to you, not 
once, but for all time, by the systematic exer- 
cise of the mental qualities; if you could see 
ahead the possibilities of your future through 
the acquisition of more personal power ; if you 
could see yourself in financial prosperity, sur- 
rounded with life's enjoyments, content and 
happy in your work, as are others whom you 
know do not possess greater ability than you, 
and many less ; if all these things, or even part 



MIND AND SENSE CULTURE. 183 

of them, would come to you through effort, 
faith and earnest application of the principles 
laid down in this work — would you make the 
effort? 

Your answer will reflect to you the sincerity 
of your own soul. 

Nothing worth while comes without effort. 
The rewards of steady application are sure. 
The fact is shown around us everyday. 

The man who climbs the ladder of success 
does so step by step and when he reaches the 
top he may look below and find smeared with 
the slime of sneers the faces of those who first 
scoffed at his attempts, who gave him the 
"friendly advice" that there was "nothing in 
it," and who now reward him by the shouts of 
"only luck." 

If the real success, the actual, positive 
method of its achievement could only be real- 
ized, men and women would be willing to 
work for it, and not only work hard for it, but 
enjoy the effort until the crowning reward. 

There is no secret about the attainment of 
success — when it is understood. The most 
complex piece of machinery is simple when 
it is taken apart and analyzed. 

If this book points out to you even a single 
hint which will prove of lasting benefit, the 



184 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

author will feel that his efforts have been am- 
ply rewarded. Even one little hint may take 
root and grow into a form of enlarged per- 
sonality beyond the fondest of dreams. 

MIND CULTURE 

1. Memory. A good memory is possible 
with any normal minded person. Memory can 
be improved and enlarged to really astonishing 
power through persistent and proper exercise. 

Memory is the storing up of impressions. 
The deeper the impression the longer it will 
be remembered. Hence, to cultivate memory, 
more attention must be given to the impres- 
sion of all things in which memory plays the 
leading part. The following suggestions will 
be found to be extremely helpful: 

(a) At the close of the day select a blank 
piece of paper and note thereon just what 
events took place between the time of arising 
and beginning this exercise. Recall as accu- 
rately as you can each little thing done. Make 
the notes as complete as possible, giving the 
time, as near as you can remember, at which 
each act was committed. Preserve this note and 
at the end of the week, or even a few days 
later, recall this particular day and then pro- 



MIND AND SENSE CULTURE. 185 

ceed to write out the events in order of their 
occurrence. Do not consult the first notes until 
you have finished, then you may discover some 
interesting errors, unless you are endowed 
with a remarkable memory. Repeat this ex- 
ercise every week or so, until you can remem- 
ber the events of any day you wish to recall. 

(b) In the morning- soon after arising, jot 
down a plan for the entire day, making it as 
much in detail as possible, then after thorough- 
ly memorizing it, dismiss it from the mind 
and proceed with the plan. Resolve to follow 
the plan exactly as you first outlined it, in the 
proper sequence of events. At the end of the 
day compare and note results. Keep repeat- 
ing each day until your memory is exact to the 
finest detail. 

(c) Open the door of a closet, or kitchen 
cabinet or bookcase. Gaze intently for a min- 
ute at all the objects therein. Impress upon 
the mind as much as possible the number of 
the different objects, their location, their size, 
and so on. Then turn away, secure a piece of 
paper, and without any further reference to 
the objects, proceed to write them down, giving 
the number of objects on each shelf and their 
location. Concentrate with all your will power. 
Compare your notes with the original and you 



186 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

will probably find some surprising, but inter- 
esting errors. Continue every other day for 
ten days, using different groups of objects 
about you, then note the improvement in 
memory. 

These exercises may seem tedious, or per- 
haps, to some, unnecessary, but their value is 
based on the law of the mind. When earn- 
estly practiced they will prove of great value. 

(d) Secure some interesting book, pref- 
erably a book of instruction (the exercise is 
applicable to the book in hand) and select a 
particular chapter. Read the first paragraph 
carefully. Impress the meaning of each sin- 
gle sentence on the mind. Memorize the 
thoughts, not the mere words. Now close the 
book and repeat the ideas of the first para- 
graph in your own words. Then compare with 
the original and correct possible errors. Con- 
tinue in this manner with each paragraph 
throughout the chapter. When the whole 
chapter is finished in this manner, close the 
book and write out in your own words the 
principle ideas in the matter you have read. 
Strive firmly to remember the order of the 
ideas as presented. Nothing impresses ideas 
on the mind more than writing them out on 
paper. It takes a little more time, but it will 



MIND AND SENSE CULTURE. 187 

be well worth it. Continue these exercises 
throughout the book and at the end you will 
be pleasantly surprised in the matter of memo- 
ry. Continue until you can thoroughly com- 
prehend the ideas in a book without great 
effort. 

(e) Make it a rule to memorize something 
useful every day of your life. You can find it 
in the daily reading of the newspapers, maga- 
zines and books; also by contact with others. 
When a useful idea is presented, stop long 
enough to impress it firmly on your mind. 
Such impressions made earnestly and fre- 
quently will develop a valuable fund of infor- 
mation. 

(f) Commit to memory that which you 
would be expected to know in reference to 
public interest, such as important dates in the 
country's history, names of the Presidents, 
population of large cities and many other facts 
of general interest. 

In all things which should be fixed in the 
memory, strive to first excite an interest in 
the matter, then concentrate with firmness and 
will power. A perfect memory is, of course, 
impossible, but proper attention to the princi- 
ples of memory and persistent and intelligent 



188 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

exercise will develop this important faculty to 
a remarkable degree. 

2. Thinking. Weakness in the power of 
thinking is an exposition of mental laziness. 

Ofttimes when a new subject is presented, 
or a new treatment of an old subject is given, 
many people are inclined to give the matter 
scant consideration, with the weak remark, "It 
is too deep for me." 

Facts presented in the simplest language 
are not "deep." The difficulty is not depth, 
or inability to comprehend, but lack of will 
power to think. 

The natural ability, or the acquired ability, 
to think clearly is a stepping stone to success. 

True thinking does not mean philosophic 
logic or complex theoretical exposition on a 
given subject. It is merely the correct under- 
standing of anything deduced through the 
proper knowledge, attention and perception of 
that subject. 

Correct thinking is a sturdy guidepost to 
business success and personal power. 

It eliminates guess-work and inspires con- 
fidence. 

Lack of it creates uncertainty, hesitation, 
undermines business and even unsettles the 
affairs of nations. 



MIND AND SENSE CULTURE. 189 

Concentration is the fly-wheel to the great 
engine of balanced thinking. 

Take for example the idea: "Success is pos- 
sible to any normal person." Think this out 
in logical order. Think of success as the ac- 
complishment of any purpose. Success is ac- 
complishment. What is accomplishment? 
Why is it possible to every normal person? 
Why is success not possible to persons who 
are not normal — insane people, idiots, etc.? 
Keep the chain of thought complete and have 
every idea bear directly or indirectly on the 
main subject. This is only a suggestion and 
a thousand such might be given. Analysis 
of an idea or thing from every point of view., 
formulates a method of correct thinking. 

The analysis of any subject is very often 
highly desirable through the medium of writ- 
ing. Writing on paper compels attention and 
permits the ideas to be expressed clearly and 
slowly, thereby insuring greater accuracy. 
Writing produces better thinking; it forces 
clear, comprehensive statements and permits 
review of a subject, which is not so easily 
possible otherwise, unless memory is highly 
developed. 

Begin with a simple subject; water, for ex- 
ample. Now proceed to ask as many ques- 



190 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

tions as possible about it. Thus: What is 
it? Where is it? Why is it? When is it? 
What are its uses ? etc., until you can think of 
nothing more to ask. Write down the ques- 
tions. Write out the answers roughly, op- 
posite them. Then arrange them in order with 
the simplest question answered first, the most 
difficult last. This sounds ridiculously simple, 
but the student will find to his surprise that 
on some of the most common subjects there 
will be a fund of information, facts, etc., that 
were not previously known to exist. When 
you write down a question, make it a point to 
answer it to your satisfaction, even if you are 
compelled to consult references. Continue 
such exercises whenever convenient, prefer- 
ably a little each day for thirty days. Then 
note the improvement in your ability to give 
attention, to think quickly and to deduce logi- 
cally. These exercises, simple as they may 
seem, will not only prove of great value 
throughout life, but will be an interesting di- 
version as well. 

SSNSS CULTURE 

Mental qualities are dependent, to a certain 
degree, upon physical qualities. 



MIND AND SENSE CULTURE. 191 

The proper exercise and development of the 
sense organs and the body in general is con- 
ducive to general development of the mind. 
These embrace the eye, ear, nerves, taste and 
smell. Each one of these organs has been 
given to us for an important and delicate pur- 
pose. The ordinary person does not, as a rule, 
comprehend the great value of each and the 
importance of their exercise and development. 
However, any of us would instantly realize 
their value, should we lose the use of any one 
of the five senses. 

The following extracts from an essay on 
"eyes" in the Cosmos Magazine, succinctly sets 
forth the value- of the seeing organs : 

"I have been in existence since the beginning 
of time. Through me the world has grown 
and prospered. I am the life and the joy of 
every man, woman and child. 

"Without me the great works of art, the 
engineering feats of the ages could not have 
been accomplished. 

"I guide the vehicles of traffic, the ships of 
commerce and every method of conveyance. 

"Those who lose me or neglect me are in- 
deed to be pitied. 

"I rule the world and am man's best friend. 



192 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

"Through me the success of empires is ob- 
tained. 

"The world could not exist without me. 

"If I were not, there would be no happiness, 
no love, no accomplishments, nothing but the 
darkness of night, 

"I am cheer, joy and gladness for mankind. 
I make the home beautiful ; the earth and the 
sky, the hills and the streams scenes of beauty 
and delight. 

"I am the mother's delight, the father's joy 
and the child's way to rhapsodies. I give to 
the world its lights and shadows, lend revel to 
the coloring of changing seasons. 

"I am prized and priceless and more sought 
than precious jewels. 

"I am the most cherished thing in the world. 

"I am the windows of the soul. I am your 
humble servant. 

"My name is — Eyes !" 

For the general improvement of the senses 
the following is suggested: 

1. Exercises for the Bye. 

(a) Select some simple, regular shaped ob- 
ject and place it in plain view at one end of 
a room, or at a distance out of doors. Gaze 
at the object, then estimate the dimensions. 
Compare by taking correct measurements and 



MIND AND SENSE CULTURE. 193 

note result. Continue this exercise for six 
days, using a different object each time. Then 
note the improvement in estimating size 
through the eyes. 

(b) Select an object about a room or out 
of doors and estimate the distance from your- 
self to that object. Compare by actual meas- 
urement, then note result. Continue each day 
with different objects, for a period of six days, 
then note the improvement. 

(c) Note an object in the distance and de- 
termine its color as accurately as possible. 
Approach close to the object, then note the 
color. It will probably be different from what 
you thought it was, unless you are endowed 
with a particularly acute vision. Continue 
carefully for a week or ten days. It is atten- 
tion to size, color and distance that makes the 
vision more acute and consequently more val- 
uable. 

(d) Place yourself in front of a bookcase, 
or shelf of curios, or before a store window. 
Gaze intently at the objects therein for fully 
one minute. Then turn away and with pencil 
and paper jot down the number, sizes, colors 
and location of the different objects. Com- 
pare and note errors and omissions. Continue 
the exercise, using different groups, for a 

(13) 



194 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

week or ten days. A certain amount of im- 
provement will be noted. 

These exercises will tend to improve the 
vision from external sources. They could be 
practiced to advantage for weeks and months, 
or until a maximum proficiency in vision has 
been attained. 

But of just as great importance is the "look" 
of the eye. Some eyes have a shifting, rest- 
less look. Some are "squinted" or are too 
"staring." 

The gaze from the eyes often denotes the 
character of the individual. A straight- 
forward, sincere, frank gaze is one of the 
most precious assets of personal magnetism. 
The eyes are "the windows of the soul." Ac- 
tresses and actors prove to us that the ex- 
pression of the eyes is the result of will power. 
Persistent and proper practice, backed by will 
power, can make the expression of your eyes 
what you would desire. 

Cultivate the open, natural look. Don't 
stare nor shift the eyes when they meet the 
gaze of others. Cultivate the exposition of 
certain emotions in the eye. For instance : 
Delight — make your eyes express delight. 
Practice before a mirror five minutes each day 
for ten days. You will no doubt observe an 



MIND AND SENSE CULTURE. 195 

interesting improvement. Think of some 
other emotion, such as friendship, or in the 
more intense degree, love. Imagine some per- 
son you like or love. Try to express the 
emotion in your eyes. Be an amateur actor or 
actress. 

Here is one of the secrets of a magnetic per- 
sonality. The eye is an important factor in all 
social intercourse. When strangers, friends, 
or lovers meet, the first exchange is that of 
eyes. The secret of success in love is the ex- 
pression of feeling through the eyes. 

Practice before and away from the mirror a 
little each day for several months. That 
which you attain will prove a blessing and a 
priceless character asset for life. 

2. Exercises for the Bar. The value of 
hearing is apparent in everyday life. Loss of 
hearing is, of course, a physical defect, but con- 
centration in hearing can be cultivated by 
practice. 

(a) Listen attentively and determine the 
number of sounds that you hear. Attention in 
this regard will cultivate the acuteness of the 
organ of hearing. Repeat as often as prac- 
ticable for several weeks, when a marked im- 
provement will be noted. 

(b) From a number of sounds coming to 



196 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

the ear at once, single out the faintest of them 
all and concentrate on that to the exclusion of 
the others. For instance, listen to the ticking 
of a watch in the midst of the noise of traffic 
in a crowded street. It will be difficult at 
first. Concentrate on one sound. Repeat the 
exercise once each day for ten days, then note 
the improved ability to concentrate in hearing. 
The object is to cultivate concentration so that 
outside sounds and noises will not disturb or 
distract attention. Many of the ills of the 
nerves are caused by inability to exclude un- 
desirable sounds from the ears. If a particu- 
lar sound disturbs you, when it is impossible to 
remove the cause of distraction, it is advisable 
to imagine, intensely, some piece of music or 
some agreeable sound and concentrate on that 
by enormous will effort. Some who are 
troubled at night by disagreeable noises, have 
found this method a valuable aid. It should 
be borne in mind that : 

The value of all sense-culture is to so de- 
velop the sense organs that they may perform 
their functions in the highest degree of effi- 
ciency and thus directly effect the mental qual- 
ities through which success in any line is de- 
pendent. 

The importance of having steady nerves is 



MIND AND SENSE CULTURE. 197 

apparent in practically any kind of work, men- 
tal or physical. The man with "trembling" 
hands or "twitching" muscles is handicapped 
at every turn. He is always last in the game 
in physical endurance. In business he finds 
it a stumbling-block to progress. And in his 
own life he finds that unsteady nerves are a 
constant source of uncomfortableness and 
often downright misery. 

The man with plenty of nervous energy with 
self control has the nerve to "do things." 

The power of mind over the sense of touch 
(nerves) has been proven so often that it is 
no longer disputed by the intelligent. There 
are, however, certain nervous diseases which 
are strictly physical, and need medical treat- 
ment for their care. But most forms of ner- 
vousness can be materially influenced and 
often permanently cured by proper exercise. 
Steady nerves are not only a priceless business 
asset, but are important foundation stones in 
the whole life work structure. 

3. Exercises for Nerves. The habit of 
complete relaxation is an important step in 
nerve control. Select a quiet room, free from 
any disturbance, in which to practice relaxa- 
tion. Stand or recline, relaxing every muscle 
in the body. Breathe slowly and deeply. Make 



198 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

no movements for fully two minutes, except 
those of breathing. Preferably close the eyes 
to avoid exterior distractions. Repeat two or 
three times daily regularly for ten days, when 
improvement should be noted. Such practice 
should be given attention throughout life. 
When in a state of complete relaxation make 
these assertions firmly — "I am still; I am 
natural ; I am receiving helpful forces and I 
am calm, yet full of power." 

For steadiness in the hands, practice draw- 
ing lines across a blank piece of paper from 
right to left, ten to twenty times, then at right 
angles from the bottom to the top of the paper 
the same number of times. Draw the lines 
slowly and as nearly straight as possible, keep- 
ing the hand resting gently on the paper. Re- 
peat every day for ten days. The first at- 
tempt will probably surprise you and indicate, 
in a way, the degree of unsteadiness in your 
hands. 

Next, select several blank sheets of paper. 
Grasp the pencil at the end opposite the lead 
point, and draw several circles as near perfect 
as possible, not allowing the hand to touch the 
paper or table. This will aid steadiness in 
the arm. Begin by drawing a large circle, then 
continue drawing smaller circles gradually, in- 



MIND AND SENSE CULTURE. 199 

side of this. Repeat the exercise for ten days, 
then notice improvement. 

In practicing always have the idea of ner- 
vous control firmly fixed in the mind. It is 
always best to practice when weary or ex- 
hausted, so that the maximum of benefit can be 
obtained. 

Practice all kinds of muscular movements 
with the neck, shoulders, arms and legs. First 
make the movements (as in a physical culture 
exercise), slowly and steadily, with the mus- 
cles in a relaxed state. Then repeat the same 
movement, making the muscles rigid and 
tense and the movement quick. Practice such 
movements daily for they will be found a valu- 
able means of acquiring steadiness in all parts 
of the body. 

4. The senses of taste and smell are use- 
ful in everyday life, but the loss of them 
or their lack of special development would not 
seriously handicap one in a life work. These 
two senses are more acute in some than in 
others. For instance, this is true in regard to 
professional tea tasters. The one and only way 
in which the senses may be developed is 
through practice and attention. The odor of 
flowers or of sea breezes and the taste of food 
and wines are enjoyable in some degree to 



200 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

most people. By attention and practice one 
may, in time, be able to name a flower merely 
by its odor, or to distinguish any kind of food 
by its taste. 

The particular cultivation of these senses 
then, needs no further comment. 

GENERAL HEALTH 

A well-developed body, clean and virile, is a 
stepping stone to success. 

It makes for a good channel through which 
the sense organs and mental equipment may 
perform their duties to the best advantage. 

No one is perfect physically; the quality 
of imperfection being a peculiarity of nature, 
or to be more specific, the human mind cannot 
conceive of perfection exactly and absolutely. 

The well person is more capable than the 
unwell ; he is also more efficient. 

Some of the world's greatest men and 
women have been those handicapped by ill 
health. How much more they would have 
achieved had they possessed a robust body! 

Fine bodily health does not, of course, guar- 
antee a corresponding degree in mental effi- 
ciency, but a well developed mind can perform 
more through a well-balanced physique than 
through a weak body. 



MIND AND SENSE CULTURE. 201 

It is not the intention of the author, here, to 
elaborate or theorize on the effect of the mind 
over the body. Intelligent physicians and 
others realize the fact in some degree and 
take cognizance of it in their everyday prac- 
tice. 

Think health, desire to be healthy, believe 
that you are becoming more healthy — all these 
direct currents of mind force passed through 
the body at frequent intervals will really im- 
prove the general health, as has been proven 
by endless experiments. Thought force has 
been known to actually cure diseases, but such 
treatment would be applicable only to a rare 
minority who have given the subject deep 
study. When disease sets in, consult a phy- 
sician, or practice its cure in the manner you 
believe to be the most certain. 

The suggestions which follow pertain to the 
development of the body in a general state, 
free from disease, but the natural powers of 
which are undeveloped and remaining dor- 
mant. 

The value of health is, perhaps, realized 
most by those who have lost it. 

Carlyle said in an address before the stu- 
dents of Edinburgh University : "Finally, I 
have one advice to give you, which is practi- 



202 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

cally of great importance. You are to con- 
sider throughout life much more than is done 
at present, and what would have been a very 
good thing for me if I had been able to con- 
sider that health is a thing to be attended to 
continuously, that you are to regard it as the 
very highest of temporal things. There is 
no kind of achievement you could make in the 
world that is equal to perfect health. Com- 
pared with it, what are nuggets or millions?" 

Happiness and efficiency come first to those 
who are healthy. Ill health produces, even in 
the smallest degree, a state of mental stupor, 
melancholy, disagreeableness, nervousness and 
unhappiness ; while in the larger sense it pro- 
duces failure, misery and often suicide. There- 
fore, cultivate good health. 

Physical culture through exercise and rec- 
reation is something everyone can have, as it 
is only a matter of time and effort. The body 
is a life-long companion — why not, then, make 
it as serviceable as possible? 

To make the body vigorous, to make it 
virile, to make it throb and thrill with vital 
energy means to follow the laws governing 
health. The requisites to this end will differ 
in method and practice with the individual, 
and there may be a hundred different ways 



MIND AND SENSE CULTURE. 203 

of accomplishing the same purpose. No two 
physicians diagnose or practice alike. The sug- 
gestions following are known to be of value, 
although they are extremely simple. Health 
itself is a matter of simple rules. 

Suggestion No. 1. Arise at a regular hour 
every morning and retire at a regular hour 
at night. 

Find out how much sleep you want, then ad- 
just your hours and take it, whether it be 
seven, eight or ten hours. The idea that one 
should confine himself to so many hours of 
sleep is downright foolishness, and often in- 
jurious to health. The kind of occupation, 
whether mental or physical work, the temper- 
ament of the individual — all are determining 
factors in regard to the number of hours of 
sleep required. 

When you awake don't bound out of bed in 
a hurry. Take time to stretch, move every 
muscle possible, and take a few deep breaths. 

Bathe frequently to keep the body clean, and 
a good idea is to rinse in cool water and dry 
thoroughly. 

Eat regularly what you like, avoiding the 
too frequent use of rich pastries and food and 
drinks which do not nourish, but merely stim- 
ulate for the time being. Remember that con- 



204 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

stant stimulating produces weakness. A bow- 
that is constantly stretched beyond its maxi- 
mum of elasticity will eventually lose its origi- 
nal power. 

Drink plenty of pure water, at meals, before 
and after meals and whenever wanted, unless 
otherwise directed by a physician. 

Good results can be secured by drinking a 
glass of cold water just before retiring and 
immediately after arising. Or the drink might 
be more effective if it included a little salt, 
or just enough to taste. 

It is not ordinarily known that sickness 
among animals at a circus is a very rare occur- 
rence. The reason is because of a little trick 
practiced by the keepers, which might well be 
taken seriously by many, with great profit. 
One day in each week the animals are fed 
nothing. If you are troubled with indigestion, 
in a manner not serious enough to consult 
a physician, try this idea and note the result. 
It may do "wonders." Often very simple 
things produce great effects. 

Have all the fresh air possible in sleeping 
rooms and in work rooms. Many of the ner- 
vous and "sick headaches" are due absolutely 
to the lack of fresh air. 

Exercise every one of the muscles in some 



MIND AND SENSE CULTURE. 205 

degree every day. Get into some physical 
recreation. Enjoy physical exercise. Don't 
get the idea that you must toss dumb-bells so 
many minutes every day. Such soon becomes 
drudgery. 

Realize the importance of absolute relaxa- 
tion. Relax five or ten minutes in the middle 
of the day. It's a tonic in itself. 

Indulge in mental discussions frequently; 
get into something to divert the mind from 
its regular channels. Acquire a liking for 
good music. Study it, hear it. Or acquire 
a liking for the drama, the motion picture, 
or something that will stimulate interest. 

Cultivate at all times the moods of cheer- 
fulness, hope and good will. Look at the best 
side of things ; pick out the good and leave the 
rest. 



HUMAN EFFICIENCY 



The knocker has never yet made a "hit." 



There are a lot of people sadly in need of a self- 
starter attachment. 



The man who is on the level has few "ups" and 
"downs." 



CHAPTER XI 

HUMAN EFFICIENCY 

FFICIENCY in the business world 

E^v* means doing less work and get- 
v) ting more for it. 

In life it means conserving 
energy, avoiding waste, and get- 
ting more pleasure, happiness and prosperity 
from services rendered. 

A famous psychologist tells us that the aver- 
age person is only fifteen to twenty per cent, 
efficient. That is, we do only about one-fifth 
of what zve might do. 

We not only do not work to our full ca- 
pacity, but we waste energy in that which 
we achieve. 

The conservation of time and energy is a 
stepping stone to success. 

Lost power, unnecessary motions and 
thoughts, useless planning, slowness — all are 
factors in pulling down the efficiency of any 
individual. Most people go on year after year, 
wasting precious time doing unnecessary 
things every day of their life. If but a few 

(14) 



210 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

moments could be saved each day, and these 
put into better use, we would be fairly as- 
tonished at the increase in efficiency. 

Most of us waste power ; we are like a loco- 
motive wheel slipping around on the rails in 
an effort to get ahead. We need more grip — 
we need more sand. 

Did you ever stop to consider a winding 
stream, one that goes a little ways in one direc- 
tion, then turns and twists about in another 
way? It travels a long way, but really pro- 
gresses but a short distance from a given 
point. And a lot of energy is wasted in that 
progress. Time is also wasted. 

Many people do the same thing in their lives, 
but don't actually realize it. They wander, in 
an indirect way, turning this way and that 
way, not only utilizing extra energy, but 
wasting valuable time as well. 

Time is the same to all of us. That is one 
thing that we all have, but to be truly efficient 
our time must be used, invested carefully, 
just as we would take thought and care in the 
matter of investing money. 

If you choose the indirect, roundabout ways, 
dabbling in this thing for awhile, then drop- 
ping it and dabbling in something else, then 



HUMAN EFFICIENCY. 211 

finally dropping that, you will be like the wind- 
ing stream in its course. 

There is always friction at the turn of every 
stream and then a gradual washing away. 
When you turn from one thing to another, 
when you enter a field of work that seems like 
drudgery, you are having a constant friction 
between you and your work, or this friction 
will develop sooner or later. 

The great thing in personal efficiency is to 
do the most in the least time and enjoy the 
work. Anyone can become more efficient. In- 
creased efficiency brings bigger pay and more 
real joy in living. 

"Efficiency," says Wm. R. Wilcox, "is a 
misunderstood and misapplied word. To many 
it means system, clarity and detail. Such is 
not the case, as efficiency is, first of all, 
thoughtfulness and getting the best results 
with the best methods." 

Efficiency then, is the shortest, quickest, 
easiest way to gain a desired goal. 

Your efficiency may be increased by observ- 
ing the following: 

1. Conservation of energy. 

2. Culture of self. 

3. Time saving. 

4. Labor saving. 



212 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

A certain degree of waste in mental and 
physical powers is unavoidable. No machine 
is built that is one hundred per cent, efficient, 
and man is no exception. 

It is a fact that ninety-nine per cent, of 
the energy that is stored up in a ton of coal 
is dissipated on its way to the bulb of an elec- 
tric light. Only about one per cent, is con- 
verted into light. The other ninety-nine per 
cent, is lost by friction in the machinery, heat, 
etc. 

Many people waste nearly as much energy 
when they accomplish anything. They do it in 
the longest and most difficult way. They do 
not often stop to reason out a better, a shorter 
and easier way. 

The efficient men and women today are not 
the nervous, hustle and bustle sort of people. 
They go about their work carefully, coolly and 
make every stroke count. 

They study conservation of energy as much 
as they plan for accomplishment of purpose. 

A young man or woman starts out in life 
with a wonderful amount of force and vitali- 
ty stored up in both brain and muscle. There 
seems a limitless amount of energy. Much 
of this vital energy is often flung out on every 
side with reckless prodigality in the pursuit of 



HUMAN EFFICIENCY. 213 

pleasure. No thought is given to its value, 
and when that "slowing down" feeling creeps 
in they wonder what the trouble can be and 
attribute it to lack of energy, exhaustion from 
work, and so on. 

Thousands of people, even millions, have 
met only failure in life because they did not 
realize the value of conserving vital energy. 

The Personal Efficiency of any individual 
probably means more to success than any factor 
in mental powers. It is the driving force, the 
"general manager" of the whole mental equip- 
ment. You may have ambition, enthusiasm, 
power of will, concentration, talent and good 
character, but when all these are systematically 
and efficiently governed you have a wonderful 
combination of well-directed human forces 
that can forge ahead into untold successes. 

It is a mistake to value human energy in 
dollars and cents. Energy wasted is beyond 
estimate and that which is gained is more 
precious and useful than money. If men and 
women could realize the real value of this 
vital power, they would make greater effort 
to save it and gain more of it. 

Dissipation, excessive pleasures and immoral 
habits are not the main "leaks" in the store- 
house of human vitality. 



214 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

A well-known physician says that most of 
us waste ten times as much energy as we use, 
in practically everything we do. We go about 
the ordinary, everyday things in life in a care- 
less, thoughtless manner, since the routine of 
everyday things has become a habit and habit 
cannot be broken except by intelligent thought 
and persistent practice. 

Many of us are in too much of a hurry. We 
become nervous and if we continue to sap out 
more energy than we put in we become ner- 
vous "wrecks." We get into the habit of 
hurrying and we think we must hurry with 
everything. 

One of the greatest savers of energy is sys- 
tem. If system is necessary and satisfactory 
in business, it ought to be in the home, or any- 
where. 

System means order, and order saves not 
only energy, but time. 

Take for example the average housewife. 
Very few of them have a regular system and 
they work from morning until night in an 
off-hand manner, which eats into time and 
wastes a lot of energy. 

The President of the United States has his 
everyday work systematized and all that he 
does is highly efficient. Everything in the 



HUMAN EFFICIENCY. 215 

Executive Mansion is carefully planned out 
from day to day. The President has a definite 
schedule to follow every day. No one is al- 
lowed to intrude upon his time and his work 
goes along like clock work. 

Only important correspondence is laid on his 
desk and he devotes just so much time to that. 
Interviews are arranged in advance for three, 
five, ten minutes or longer, and no one is 
allowed to consume more than his allotted time. 
He works efficiently. As it would be an im- 
possibility, on account of time, for him to read 
even the few important newspapers and mag- 
azines, a special clerk clips out only the most 
vital items, puts them into logical order and 
the President is, in this manner, able to get 
the "gist" of the news in a few moments. 
Everything else is done in the same order of 
carrying into practice and effect the principles 
of efficiency, which are simple and plain, but 
rarely given the close attention they deserve. 

We all have just as much time as the Pres- 
ident, and while our life and what we do 
may not rank so high in popular opinion, we, 
nevertheless, could, with profit, give more at- 
tention to everyday efficiency and reap the re- 
wards that will surely come from it. 

"I haven't time" is the cry of thousands 



216 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

who are really in earnest to forge ahead in 
self-improvement. As a matter of fact we 
all have all the time there is. Our efficiency 
depends, more than anything else, on how this 
time is used; how well we can make use of 
the natural powers common to each of us ! 

We have all seen people who can do a thing 
three or four times as fast as that same thing 
is ordinarily done by others. 

The capacity for doing things efficiently is 
the result of self -development. 

Efficiency saves time ; and time saved means 
more time for other things in life worth while. 
The man who boasts about working at his 
office late into the night is merely displaying 
his own ignorance of efficiency. The great 
captains of industry, men of wealth, men and 
women of power everywhere are intensely 
busy when they are busy, but we also see 
them on the golf links, on the tennis courts, 
on motor trips, and in other forms of out- 
door relaxation. No matter how big the man 
or his position, he always "has time" to relax 
and enjoy the rewards of his toil. 

A life of activity and accomplishment is 
possible to those who "take time" to study 
the secrets of success; but the idea that suc- 
cess can come only by constant, intense nervous 



HUMAN EFFICIENCY. 217 

strain, keyed up every moment to the highest 
pitch, is a huge fallacy. 

People of accomplishment have a wonderful 
reserve energy and when at times they are 
compelled to work under great strain, their 
endurance seems almost superhuman. The 
secret lies in the fact that they lived, worked 
and enjoyed life in a methodical, efficient man- 
ner, and never allowed unnecessary and use- 
less drain on their vital storehouse. 

If you have achieved a success or are achiev- 
ing success in whatever you do, you are con- 
sciously or unconsciously following the laws 
of success. You may have all the qualities that 
make for success through proper self-culture, 
and your efficiency may be above the average. 
However, a slight development in all these 
good qualities will increase, correspondingly, 
your prosperity and power. One of the joys 
of living is to watch and see self improvement. 

One of the most pitiable things to see is a 
person who has in mind that, as he has 
achieved a certain amount of success, he has 
nothing further to learn, and that the only 
teaching worth while is his own teaching. 

The greatest thinkers, the greatest mer- 
chants, the greatest scientists and writers, have 
all learned from those about them, and instead 



218 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

of throwing away an idea because it came from 
an inferior, have eagerly grasped it and used 
it to advantage. The progress of the whole 
world is built up on new ideas and it is only 
a fool who will throw them away as valueless. 

When you grasp an idea, or a group of ideas, 
which will mean more to your success, per- 
sonal power and prosperity, absorb it eagerly 
and EARNESTLY. 

Besides time, true efficiency saves labor 
through proper self-development. In the 
world of commerce, machinery is an influential 
ally to efficient management. Several thous- 
and examples might be given. In a case 
where it would take twenty laborers to level 
a roadbed, in a given time, the same work could 
be accomplished by one man with a certain 
type of machinery. And personal efficiency is 
increased along the same lines. 

The power of efficiency may be amply illus- 
trated in a case where you go out into the 
open for a long tramp. In a short while you 
feel tired, but you keep right on and in a few 
minutes the fatigue seems to have vanished 
and you feel "warmed up" to the occasion 
and go on better than when you started. 

Every one of us has a "second wind/' both 
mentally and physically. But many go through 



HUMAN EFFICIENCY. 219 

the things of life on the first "wind" only, and 
never realize the really marvelous possibilities 
in their own selves for further development 
and accomplishment. 

The degree of personal efficiency, like suc- 
cess itself, varies with the individual. 

The author believes that the student who 
earnestly follows the principles and exercises 
set forth in this book, giving proper attention 
to the qualities of mind force under the cap- 
tions of "Ambition," 'Tower of Will," "Con- 
centration," "Power of Imagination," "Origi- 
nal Creation," "Self-Education," and "Culture 
of Sense and Mind'' will be so equipped that 
the effects of efficiency will be quickly and 
easily discerned. 

The following suggestions should prove of 
benefit : 

1. Schedule. Have a definite plan of what 
you intend to do before you do it. Judge the 
time of accomplishment and make it a point 
to complete a task in a given time. Begin 
with the day's work and work by schedule. 
Find out just how much of one thing you can 
do in a given time. Then remember it, or 
better, make a note of it. After a few days 
cut down time wherever possible and "dove- 
tail" all plans so that they will fit in smoothly. 



220 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

It will be surprising to note the saving in time, 
and the increased interest in the same work 
that was heretofore allowed to drag along, 
and appeared somewhat dull and monotonous. 

The efficient man sooner or later gets the 
big pay envelope, or increases his own pro- 
ductiveness in less time and with more effec- 
tiveness. If you exercise before breakfast, 
have a schedule to follow. Following a sched- 
ule is a very simple matter, yet the success of 
the whole business world is dependent on it. 
It is quite as important in personal affairs. If 
you allow forty minutes for breakfast, it would 
be poor efficiency to read the paper thirty 
minutes and cram down the food in the other 
ten. Efficiency doesn't mean rush. Through 
schedule, one is enabled to get the maximum 
worth of every minute, both in work and re- 
laxation. 

2. Adaptation. When you face something 
new, or commence a new line of work, strive 
to harmonize yourself with the conditions at 
hand. It comes natural to some people ; others 
can acquire it after study and effort. See the 
main things at a glance. Don't bother with 
details, until you meet them. Adapt yourself 
to the conditions and master them as quickly 
as you can. The adaptable person is ever at 



HUMAN EFFICIENCY. 221 

ease in emergencies and easily and quickly 
"catches on." Henry James says : "The rapid 
rate of life, the number of decisions in an 
hour, the many things to keep account of, in 
a busy city man's life, seem monstrous to a 
country brother. He doesn't see how we live 
at all. A day in New York or Chicago fills 
him with terror. The danger and noise make 
it appear like a permanent earthquake. But 
settle him there and in a year or two he will 
have caught the pulse beat. He will vibrate 
to the city's rhythms ; and if he only succeeds 
in his avocation, whatever that may be, he will 
find a joy in all the hurry and the tension; he 
will keep the pace as well as any of us and 
get as much out of himself in a week as he ever 
did in ten weeks in the country." 

3. Order. To keep things in order and to 
do things in order sounds exceedingly simple, 
yet from lack of it minutes, perhaps hours, 
are lost every day with many people. The lit- 
tle things about you ; a misplaced book, a pen, 
personal attire, memoranda and a thousand 
different little things eat into precious time. 
Some people never give attention to doing 
things in proper order. A little attention to 
this will work wonders in the course of a short 
time. Will power, care and interest will form 



222 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

the order habit. When it is once formed into 
a habit it is a power never to be regretted. 

4. Accuracy with minimum of labor. When 
you finish a task, no matter how small, know 
that it is accurate. Avoid guess-work. In 
all work, involving either mental or physical 
labor there are usually a number of ways of 
doing that particular work. There are long 
ways and short ways. Take any of your daily 
work. Time yourself carefully. Study out 
a new method of accomplishing the same work 
which you think would be shorter. Try it 
and time yourself carefully again. Keep try- 
ing until you find the shortest, easiest, most 
accurate way, then stick to that. Most people 
go into a piece of work by following the same 
methods as their predecessor, taking for grant- 
ed that through such a method they are work- 
ing the most efficiently. In many cases it 
proves to be the longest, most tedious and 
uninteresting way. Study your daily work 
in this manner and you will be astonished at 
the increased efficiency you gain in a short 
time. 

5. Increasing Capacity. When one puts 
into operation the principles which tend to 
eliminate waste power, put schedule into prac- 
tice, form the order habit, promote adaptation 



HUMAN EFFICIENCY. 223 

and accuracy, still greater efficiency can be 
obtained by forcing greater energy into all 
work. Begin by believing that a little more 
effort is needed and that you can and will 
supply it. By persistent effort and by put- 
ting greater force into everything you do, there 
will soon come a time when the things that 
seem difficult or almost impossible now, can 
be accomplished with comparative ease and 
certainty. Professor Wm. James tells us in 
this regard, that: 

"As a rule men habitually use only a small 
part of the powers which they actually pos- 
sess and which they might use under appro- 
priate conditions. 

"Everyone is familiar with the phenomenon 
of feeling more or less alive on different days. 
Everyone knows on any given day that there 
are energies slumbering in him which the in- 
citements of that day do not call forth, but 
which he might display if these were greater. 
Most of us feel as if a sort of cloud weighed 
upon us, keeping us below our highest notch 
of clearness in discernment, sureness in rea- 
soning, or firmness in deciding. Compared 
with what we ought to be, we are only half 
awake. Our fires are damped, our drafts are 
checked. We are making use of only a small 



224 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

part of our possible mental and physical re- 
sources. 

"Stating the thing broadly, the human in- 
dividual thus lives usually far within his lim- 
its • he possesses powers of various sorts which 
he habitually fails to use." 

The vital energy which flows through your 
being and which causes you to desire certain 
things, is the very creative principle which 
indicates potencies equal to the accomplishment 
of actual success. 

You can never reach the goal of success until 
you feel the God-given power to do so singing 
within you. 

Believe in your own natural forces. Culti- 
vate them, nourish them, protect them as you 
would a rare plant. Then use them through 
the principles of efficiency and you will find 
that the realization of your dreams is not far 
distant. 



POWER AND PLENTY 



(15) 



Success is one sin that some refuse to forgive in 
their friends. 



Veracity is more of an interest maker on this earth 
than a bank full of gold. 



Be ready to answer the call "Come up higher." 
Your daily work is making a record that will show 
your competency or incompetency for better things. 




CHAPTER XII 

POWER AND PLENTY 

HE rewards of life, the joy of liv- 
ing, every degree of health, 
wealth and happiness come 
through personal power. 

The greater the personal power 
the greater the degree of plenty. 

The realization of dormant power is the 
first step in the development of personal forces. 
If men and women could only realize that 
they each have a huge storehouse of unused, 
undeveloped power in their own selves ; if they 
could force the mind to enter into this natural 
development ; if they could learn and put into 
effect the basic principles which govern all 
accomplishments we would have a larger num- 
ber of successful citizens; we would have a 
better balanced society, more satisfactory com- 
mercial conditions ; more prosperity and more 
happiness everywhere. 

We are the most successful nation in the 
world today. The percentage of failures in 
America is less than in any other country. 



228 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

We control one-fourth of the wealth of the 
entire world. Yet our population is only one- 
sixteenth of that of the globe. 

We have gained astonishing prosperity as 
a nation because we have the faculties of am- 
bition, industry and perseverance in a greater 
degree than our fellows. We are naturally 
hustlers. And we are doubly fortunate in 
having wonderful natural resources and op- 
portunities at hand. 

These things in themselves should bring a 
thrill of inspiration to all who wish to make 
the most of life ahead. 

One has but to set his face in the right di- 
rection, grasp his opportunity, improve his 
latent powers, then simply to travel on un- 
mindful of apparent obstacles. 

The greatest failure in life is not to live — 
not to live to the fullest extent of one's capa- 
bilities. 

Many are afraid to enlarge and strike out 
into new fields. They "give up" in the thought 
that they are made for a position of humble- 
ness or comparative poverty. They are weak 
in the excuse that "luck" has been against 
them; circumstances compel them to miss op- 
portunities. 

But the best in life, with prosperity, con- 



POWER AND PLENTY. 229 

tentment and happiness is possible, in some de- 
gree, with all of us, and that degree may be 
increased only by self-effort. 

Others are looking out for themselves; they 
will not help you in your life-work, in fact they 
cant help you, because they have no direct 
control over the great driving forces that 
are far within your own being. 

Success is not selfishness; for true success 
rests solely in the service one individual per- 
forms for his fellows. 

One's success is the final goal of a whole 
life-time. 

As you live on, others will ask of you, "Are 
you successful?" or will ask others, "Is he suc- 
cessful?" 

Are you succeeding? Are you progressing 
to the fullest of your natural powers? Your 
own conscience can answer the question. 

Many try to study the subject of success 
from the wrong angle. Many assume that it 
is the power from without, coming to us for 
our use, for our happiness, for our prosperity. 
Nothing could be farther from the truth. 

It is the power from within self, generated 
and expanded outward, that compels accom- 
plishment and brings success. 

The man or woman who sticks in the old 



230 STEPPING-STONES TO SUCCESS. 

rut and casts aside the philosophy of achieve- 
ment, and refuses to learn and put into active 
use the indisputable and positive principles 
governing all success, deserves life's booby 
prize — failure. What is more pitiable than 
the tameness, the insipidity, the mental flab- 
biness of the inactive life of the man or 
woman who sees nothing ahead, who has no 
great life-motive pushing on, who calmly sits 
down and waits for good fortune to come 
trotting along, as compared with the man or 
woman who feels the value of inner vitality; 
who feels the pounding throbs of ambition and 
determination and who grasps every particle 
of opportunity at hand to forge ahead in the 
accomplishment of a mighty purpose ! 

Today is filled with opportunities — go for- 
ward ; find them and grasp them. You are the 
master of your own achievement. Learn the 
principles governing success. If you already 
know them, enlarge your powers, reach out, 
forge ahead, step by step. Practice, concen- 
trate, then practice. Be in earnest; be patient 
and have faith in self and others. 

The object in these stepping stones to suc- 
cess has been to point out to you the principles, 
the great underlying rules governing achieve- 



POWER AND PLENTY. 231 

ment. Study them, plant them securely in the 
mind, follow them. 

Life is a matter of time. Success is a mat- 
ter of personal power and effort. Strive daily 
in the realization that success, with all that 
it brings in prosperity, peace and power, is 
yours — yours in whatever degree you desire 
it. It is the award, it is the price paid to you 
personally. 

Meet life daily with a resolution that you 
are here for a purpose; that you are in a 
world of your own. Absorb power; radiate 
faith; generate energy. 

Make living a success, and reach success 
by proper living. 

Reach out to conquer; look forward; look 
up; and be happy and strong in the grasp of 
the Unseen Hand. 



INDEX. 

Accuracy, 222. 

Adaptation, 220. 

Ambition, 33-51; lack of, 32; and will power, 37, 

cultivation of, 41, 49; qualities, 48. 
Anger, 165. 
Attention, 74. 

Attractiveness, physical, 124. 
Bayne, Peter, 101. 
Beecher, Henry Ward, 119. 
Brain, 55, 111. 
Burbank, Luther, 87. 
Capacity, 222 ; for usefulness, 16, 25. 
Carlyle, 201. 
Chance, 173. 
College education, 140. 
Conceit, 170. 
Concentration, 72, 79; positive, 75; negative, 76 

exercise in, 72, 70. 
Conduct, 126. 

Confidence, lack of, 156; power of, 157. 
Courtesy, 125. 
Creation, original, 101-115. 
Culture, esthetic, 141 ; mind and sense, 119. 
Details, 61. 

Determination, as a force, 46, 168. 
Douglas, Stephen A., 126. 
Dress, 125. 

Drill, secondary influence of, 181. 
Ear, exercise for, 195. 
Edison, Thos A., 87. 



234 INDEX. 

Education, 139; by correspondence, 150; systematic, 

144. 
Efficiency, human, 209-224; meaning of, 211. 
Effort, 144. 
Egotism, 170. 

Emerson, on resolution, 46, 146. 
Enthusiasm, 101. 
Epigrams, 14, 32, 54, 72, 82, 100, 118, 138, 152, 177, 

208, 226. 
Exaggeration, 162. 
Expectancy, 179. 
Experience, 108. 
Eyes, 191 ; exercise of, 192. 
Failure, cause of, 154, 157. 
Fear, as species of imagination, 89, 91, 154. 
Gladstone, on opportunity, 16. 
Habits, 59; immoral, 162; Liquor and tobacco, 166. 
Health, general, 200. 
Hill, James J., 85. 
Hypnotic manner, 120. 
Ideas, 86. 

Imagination, power of, 83-98; exercise in, 92-98. 
Imitation, relative to ambition, 39; in childhood, 42; 

and success, 43. 
Immoral habits, 162. 
Inconstancy, 68. 
Indecision, 65; improvement for, 66; as a "bad 

habit," 172. 
Initiative, lack of, 66 ; improvement for, 67. 
Investment, 174. 
James, Henry, 221. 
James, William, 114, 139. 
Law, of individual endeavor, 39. 



INDEX. 235 

Letter writing, scurrilous and blackmail, 132. 

Lies, 162. 

Life, battle of, 153. 

Lincoln, Abraham, 126. 

Magnetism, personal, 129-136. 

Man, an enigma, 20. 

Memory, 184. 

Mental healing, 58. 

Mind, greatest force, 20; formation of, 24; culture 

of, 179, 184. 
Mirabeau, on Will Power, 57. 
Napoleon, on imagination, 83, 129. 
Nerves, exercises for, 195. 
New thought, 124. 
Observation, 181. 
Opportunity, 15-29; as first step to success, 16; must 

be sought, 18, 21 ; individual, 23. 
Optimism, 107. 
Order, 221. 
Patience, 48. 

Perserverance, lack of, 69. 
Personality, magnetic, 121; suggestions in regard to, 

130. 
Physical culture, suggestions, 203. 
Physiology, and the brain, 55. 
Plans, 38. 

Power, personal, 225. 

President of the United States, efficiency of, 215. 
Profanity, 164. 

Reading, proper methods of, 148. 
Reason, lack of, 69. 
Roosevelt, Theo., 22. 
Schedule, 219. 



236 INDEX, 

Self control, lack of, 83 ; improvement of, 64. 

Self-Doctor, 59. 

Self -Education, 139-150. 

Sense Culture, 179-190; value of, 196. 

Slander, 165. 

Smell, sense of, 199. 

Success, first requisite of, 16; degree of, 22, 26; and 

intelligence, 43-44, enemies of, 153. 
System, 182, 214. 
Taste, sense of, 199. 
Thinking, 188. 
Thought, forces of, 122. 
Thoughtlessness, 169. 
Twain, Mark, 162. 

Variation, in human nature, 22 ; in nature, 40. 
Vulgarity, 168. 
Wealth, secret of, 173. 
Will Power, 37, 55-70; Mirabeau on, 57; functions 

of, 57; and body functions, 59. 
Work, underestimation of, 109. 
Worry, 160. 



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